The Delhi police on Monday arrested the inspector of the central customs and excise department, Pune, Sanjeev Dahiya (30) of Koregaon Park, for allegedly subjecting his wife Reena to cruelty over dowry demands.

A magisterial court here has sent Dahiya to transit police custody till February 2 to enable the police to produce him in court in New Delhi. Dahiya was staying at his friend's residence in the excise officials' quarters at Koregaon Park at the time of his arrest.

Dahiya was a sub-inspector with the Delhi police. A resident of New Delhi, he was later selected as a customs and central excise inspector and posted in Pune.

He married Reena on November 24, 2005. The couple has son and a daughter. The relations between the couple had turned sour after Dahiya and his family members had allegedly started demanding dowry, such as a plot to construct a house, a car and money.

Reena's brother Satish Kumar, who was present in the court, claimed that his family had given Dahiya Rs 5 lakh in a fixed deposit and a motorcycle at the time of the marriage, but Reena was still being harassed by her husband and others over dowry demands.

Kumar alleged that his sister was starved and ill-treated physically and mentally, following which she lodged a complaint against Dahiya and his family members with the Nanakpura police station in New Delhi on August 16, 2008.

Assistant sub-inspector Sumedha of the crime against women cell at Nanakpura, who was also present before the court, told TOI that Dahiya was arrested after seeking permission from the deputy commissioner of police Suman Nalwa of the special unit for women and children under sections 498 (a) (subjecting women to cruelty) and 406 (criminal breach of trust) of the Indian Penal Code.