Vipin Bhati, an accused in the case, was shot in the leg by police on Sunday. (Express Photo)Vipin Bhati (30), who was arrested for allegedly burning his 26-year-old wife, Nikki Payla, to death over dowry demands, had previously been booked in 2024 for ‘assaulting’ another woman, police said.The FIR was registered on October 25, 2024, at Jarcha police station. It names Vipin and another man, who were booked under sections 115(2) (voluntarily causing hurt), 352 (breach of peace), and 351(2) (criminal intimidation) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).As per the FIR, the woman alleged that the two men called her from her village on October 20 and took her away in a vehicle. “They then beat me up, hurled abuses at me, and took away my phone,” she alleged.She further claimed that the two also threatened to kill her.Investigating Officer Dharmendra Shukla, who is handling the probe into Nikki’s death, said that a chargesheet had been filed in the 2024 case. He added that their initial investigation also revealed Nikki and her sister, Kanchan, had followed the woman, suspecting she was having an affair with Vipin.Apart from Vipin, the Greater Noida police arrested his father, mother and brother in connection with Nikki’s death.His brother is married to Kanchan, Nikki’s elder sister.The sisters were running a beauty parlour.Story continues below this adIn February this year, police said Vipin and Nikki got into a scuffle at the parlour.Shukla said they received a call on the 112 helpline from a woman who was at the salon. “Vipin had come there and demanded money from Nikki. A scuffle broke out between the two in front of the client, and the latter was injured. Later, the family resolved the issue, and no formal complaint was filed,” he said.The Indian Express learnt that the beauty parlour was shut after this incident, and Nikki and Kanchan went to their parents’ home in Roopwas village.“In February, after she was assaulted by Vipin, my father asked her and Kanchan to come back,” Rohit, Nikki’s brother, said.Story continues below this adLater, a panchayat was held where Vipin apologised to the family and Nikki and Kanchan were sent back to their in-laws’ home in Sirsa village.Neetika Jha is a Correspondent with The Indian Express. She covers crime, health, environment as well as stories of human interest, in Noida, Ghaziabad and western UP. When not on the field she is probably working on another story idea. On weekends, she loves to read fiction over a cup of coffee. The Thursday Murder club, Yellow Face and Before the Coffee Gets Cold were her recent favourites. She loves her garden as much as she loves her job. She is an alumnus of Asian College of Journalism, Chennai. ... Read MoreStay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram© The Indian Express Pvt LtdTags:dowry case