DEHRADUN: Uttarakhand cabinet minister Rekha Arya lodged an FIR against her husband, Girdhari Lal Sahu , also known as Pappu Girdhari, at Garhi Cantt police station on Thursday evening, accusing him of physical assault, cheating, forgery and conspiring to kill her.




The women empowerment and child development minister, who disclosed the complaint through a video late in the evening, also alleged that her husband had threatened her minor children.




Police registered the FIR around 7.25pm under 13 sections of IPC, including 120-B (criminal conspiracy), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt) and 420 (cheating), along with three provisions of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989.




In her complaint, Arya said she married Sahu in Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh, on July 6, 2004, and alleged that he had deceived her by claiming to be unmarried despite having a wife and children from an earlier marriage.




She said she discovered the truth several years later but chose to remain silent for the sake of their children.




Arya further alleged that Sahu subsequently began having relationships with other women and that, despite issuing written and verbal apologies when confronted, he continued those relationships. She claimed that his behaviour turned violent when she objected.




The FIR stated, “upon opposing these relationships, Girdhari Lal Sahu started physically assaulting, abusing, and threatening to kill the applicant. On several occasions, he also used caste-slurs degradingly in front of staff at the applicant's official residence,” Arya alleged that the abuse and threats continued, leaving her fearful for her safety and that of her children.




She also accused Sahu of forging her signature and preparing fabricated documents to show that she had retired as a director of companies with which she was associated, although she had neither signed such documents nor submitted any resignation.




The minister further claimed to have obtained an audio recording in which Sahu could allegedly be heard speaking to a woman and conspiring to kill her.




In her complaint, she expressed fears that he could commit a serious crime against her or her minor children at any time. Arya was taken to hospital after reporting that she felt unwell, although further details about her condition were not immediately available.