Uttarakhand Women Empowerment and Child Development Minister Rekha Arya has lodged a formal police complaint against her husband, Girdhari Lal Sahu, also known as Pappu Girdhari, accusing him of assault, forgery, caste-based harassment, and conspiring to murder her. Based on her complaint, the police in Dehradun registered a First Information Report invoking relevant statutory provisions, including the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, and initiated a detailed inquiry into the matter. The minister subsequently released an emotional video and several purported audio recordings on social media detailing her grievances, shortly before being admitted to a medical facility following a sudden deterioration in her health.
Marital Discord and Forgery Allegations
In her complaint, Arya stated that she married Sahu, a resident of Bareilly, in 2004. She alleged that her husband concealed key details regarding a previous marriage as well as children from that union at the time of their wedding. According to the minister, she discovered the prior marriage only at a later stage, choosing to remain silent on account of social considerations and the welfare of her own children. She further stated that she belongs to a Scheduled Caste community while her husband belongs to another caste, asserting that relevant details regarding caste background were not disclosed before the marriage took place.
Arya alleged that she later became aware of her husband’s alleged relationships with other women. When she confronted him over the matter, Sahu reportedly offered both verbal and written apologies, though his conduct allegedly remained unchanged. The minister stated that whenever she voiced objections, Sahu subjected her to physical assault, verbal abuse, and caste-based slurs. She also alleged that he repeatedly visited her official residence to engage in inappropriate and abusive conduct.
In addition to physical abuse, Arya raised serious financial and corporate improprieties, accusing her husband of orchestrating her fraudulent removal from a company board of directors. She stated that forged signatures were submitted to effect her resignation, an action she maintains she never authorised. Police officers have indicated that corporate records and signatures will be examined by forensic experts to verify the veracity of the claim.
Allegations of Murder Plot and Digital Evidence
The legal dispute escalated further after Arya alleged the existence of an audio recording featuring a conversation between Sahu and another woman discussing a plot to eliminate her. While the recording has become a central element of the formal complaint, police officials clarified that its authenticity and the context of the recorded discussion remain subject to rigorous forensic examination.
The public dimension of the controversy expanded when the minister posted a video on her Facebook account outlining the background of the dispute. In the recording, Arya delivered an emotional account of her domestic difficulties and shared several purported audio clips linked to her husband. The clips circulated widely on social media platforms shortly after publication, prompting widespread public interest.
Hospitalisation and Official Police Action
Amid the mounting stress surrounding the filing of the case, Arya suffered a health setback late in the evening and was taken to Krishna Medical Centre on EC Road in Dehradun. Attending doctors reported that the minister complained of chest pain and elevated blood pressure, while diagnostic tests, including an electrocardiogram, revealed a minor abnormality. Cardiologists placed her under medical observation, and hospital authorities confirmed that her vital signs remained stable.
Superintendent of Police (City) Shekhar Chandra Suyal confirmed that an FIR has been registered against Sahu covering offences of assault, forgery, criminal conspiracy to murder, and violations under the SC/ST Act. Investigators have commenced a review of the complaint, the submitted audio materials, and corporate records to verify the sequence of events. Officials stated that further legal action will depend entirely on findings established through forensic and documentary verification.
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