Possesion of Gold ornaments can be treated as Dowry?

I got married from India according to Hindu Marriage Act and came to USA. The marriage is registered in India. While coming to USA, half of my gold ornaments were forcefully kept by my in laws in their locker( I do not even know the locker number) in the context of safeguarding them. Now I am back in India after suffering abuse from my husband. Will apply for divorce soon. Now In laws are refusing to give the gold ornaments. They say that they will give the same only after divorce proceedings are done completely. I do not trust them at all..They are mean and money minded people. With gold price rising everyday, I would not be surprised if they refuse to return my gold ornaments later by citing some silly reason. My father gave the gold ornaments to me, not to them. Can it be called as Dowry when they refuse to return the my ornaments even when I asked them? Can I book them on 498 for this? How else can I retrieve my gold from them?