Lucknow, July 4: Imrana, who had begged to be left alone last week, has broken her silence to contest a verification team’s claim that a property dispute might have prompted her to level the rape charge against her father-in-law.

The 28-year-old today said the All India Muslim Personal Law Board’s “fact-finding” team, which visited Muzaffarnagar yesterday, did not meet her and whatever residents of her village told them fell on “deaf ears”.

“They (the law board members) never met me. Whatever the people of my village said about my condition fell on deaf ears,” Imrana said in her village Fukra.

Some members of the law board had yesterday expressed doubts over Imrana’s accusation.

They said there “was not much circumstantial evidence available to prove the rape allegation”.

Imrana said the board members should have spoken to police if they wanted to verify her statement. “My statement is under probe by the police. It is not proper for the board to obstruct the process of justice.”

Her brother, Imran Ansari, dismissed the board’s claim as “a gameplan to play into the hands of the accused”.

Imrana alleged that the law board went by the statements of the residents of Chaurtwa village of her in-laws, but did not heed what the people of Fukra told them.

“It is tiring to repeat the same allegations now, but which woman will take the burden of shame in announcing that she has been raped?” Imrana asked the Uttar Pradesh Congress women’s wing president, Rita Bahuguna Joshi, who met her yesterday.

“She has five children ? three daughters and two sons ? to look after. One of her sons is deaf and dumb. We will take care of his education,” said Joshi.

The Congress, which was reluctant to react strongly to a fatwa that Imrana should live separately from her husband, tried to make up by extending financial assistance to her. Joshi handed over Rs 50,000 to Imrana.

The party also demanded that the commission for women in Uttar Pradesh be disbanded as it did not do anything for Imrana. The state government, headed by Mulayam Singh Yadav, had backed the clergy.

The police in Muzaffarnagar, however, said they are set to file a chargesheet against Ali Mohammad in a day or two.

“There is enough evidence against the father-in-law of Imrana to prove the allegations of rape and ensure his conviction,” said the senior superintendent of police, Amrendra Senger.

“If Ali Mohammad did not rape her, why did he enter her room at 12.30 pm? The children are witnesses. Why did he threaten her? And why was he keeping mum so long if he is innocent?” he asked.

Police sources said three charges under Sections 376, 323 and 506 of the Indian Penal Code, relating to rape, assault and threat to kill, have been slapped against the father-in-law.

“The accused had first assaulted Imrana and then raped her and threatened to kill her if she had divulged the same to people,” said investigating officer Surendra Pratap Singh.