Actor-turned-politician Ravi Kishan landed in a controversy on Wednesday when his legally wedded wife lodged a police complaint against a woman who has been claiming to be the MP’s wife.
Ravi Kishan Dubey, a hugely successful Bhojpuri actor, represents Gorakhpur—the constituency represented for the longest time by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.
Kishan’s wife Preeti lodged a complaint alleging that the same woman, Aparna Soni, had tried to blackmail him a year ago and that she had then reported the matter to the Mumbai police. “She is doing it during the election to malign my husband’s image,” Preeti said. She has alleged that a Samajwadi Party member and a YouTuber are the masterminds behind the conspiracy.
Kishan is seeking a second Lok Sabha term from Gorakhpur.
A young girl, Shayona, claiming to be Kishan’s daughter with Soni, has also issued a video appeal to Adiytanath. In the video, she says, “I am the daughter of your MP Ravi Kishan. I request you to grant some time to my mother and me. I want to tell you my truth with proof. After that, whatever feels right to you, dispense justice”.
She had earlier said Kishan was a regular visitor to their home and that she used to address him as chachu (paternal uncle). It was only when she turned 15 that her mother told her that Kishan was her father.
“He had promised me that this (films) would be my future, he was manipulating me; he should never have given me false hopes,” she said.
Soni had said in a press conference a few days ago that she was fighting for her daughter’s rights and was even willing to go to the court to demand the same. “He should either adopt my daughter or give her, her legal rights”.
She claimed that the two had married in 1996 in Malad (Mumbai), with Kishan applying vermilion on her forehead and tying a mangasutra around her neck, in the presence of family and friends. “There are a lot of photographs of us together,” she said.
While Soni said she does not have any photos of their weddings, she claimed to be in possession of a video where Kishan’s maternal niece is heard addressing her as mami (aunt).
Soni said her fight is for her daughter’s rights. “He has abandoned his daughter while doing everything for his other daughters.” Her other grouse is that Kishan had cut off all contacts for the last year. This is in contradiction to what her daughter claimed—that Kishan has not been in touch for the last four years.
Soni has been married for 30 years and is a mother of two.
