Uttarakhand police are now searching for women empowerment minister Rekha Arya’a husband after she filed a domestic violence complaint against him.
The minister had posted a video on social media alleging that she was abused and shared audio clips which she claimed pointed to a conspiracy to murder her.
“A woman should not accept domestic violence, irrespective of her status," Arya said in an emotional video. “You will get all the answers after listening to the audio,"
She said that she spoke out for her own safety and for her children.
She alleged that her husband, Girdhari, was involved in fraud and subjected her to assaults and casteist abuse.
The minister filed a case at the Cantt police station in Dehradun on Thursday. Arya married Sahu on July 6, 2004 and has three children with him. She said that he had falsely claimed to have been unmarried during the time.
She alleged that she learnt of his first marriage and his children a few years later and remained silent on the matter on the advice of family members.
She also said that he was involved with other women and then later apologised after she objected to the infidelity.
"On opposing these relations, Girdhari Lal Sahu started beating and abusing the complainant and started threatening to kill her," the FIR said.
Arya also said that he used casteist slurs against her on several occasions at her official residence in front of staff. She also said that her signatures were forged on documents to show that she retired from the post of director in certain companies despite not having signed such documents.
The FIR also includes the audio recording purported to have Ghihari Lal Sahu hatching a conspiracy to kill Arya while talking to a woman.
The minister has sought police protection.
Congress state spokesperson Garima Mehra Dasauni described it as an extremely sensitive matter and expressed her sadness over the case. She also, however, pointed out that Arya gave a clean chit to Dushyant Gautam in the Ankita Bhandari murder case two days earlier.
"I want to tell Rekha ji, when you, being a Minister for Women and Child Development, will not stand with exploited and oppressed women, then who will come and stand with you on such occasions?" Dasauni asked.
Arya was later admitted to Doon hospital after her blood pressure rose.
Sahu has been booked under several provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, police sources said. The incident comes months ahead of the Uttarakhand assembly elections.
Sahu meanwhile released a video responding to the allegations. he demanded that she withdraw the complaint against him.
He also claimed that he was responsible for 'bringing her to power.' He said that Arya was corrupt and that she amassed Rs 200 crore through corrupt practices.
