Uttarakhand minister Rekha Arya alleges husband plotted to kill her; audio recording triggers FIR

Dehradun: Uttarakhand Cabinet Minister Rekha Arya has filed a police complaint against her husband, Girdhari Lal Sahu, accusing him of physical assault, caste-based abuse, harassment and threats to her life. The BJP leader has also alleged that her husband concealed his previous marriage and continued relationships with other women despite repeated objections.

Police registered a First Information Report (FIR) at the Cantt police station in Dehradun on October 15. The case includes provisions under the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

In her complaint, Arya stated that she belongs to the Scheduled Caste community and that Sahu was aware of her caste identity from the beginning of their relationship.

She alleged that Sahu had misled her into believing he was unmarried when they tied the knot. According to the minister, she discovered several years later that he was already married and had children from his previous marriage.

"A few years later, I discovered the truth: he was already married and had children from a previous marriage. By then, however, we had children of our own; following the counsel of family members-and for the sake of our children's future-I chose to remain silent," the FIR stated.

Arya further accused her husband of "maintaining illicit relationships with other women."

The minister alleged that when she confronted Sahu over these relationships, he initially admitted his actions and apologised, both verbally and in writing. However, she claimed that he subsequently continued the relationships and began physically and verbally abusing her when she raised objections.

"When I objected, he initially acknowledged his wrongdoing and offered both a written and verbal apology; however, he continued to engage in such conduct even after these apologies. When I opposed these relationships, Girdhari Lal Sahu began subjecting me to physical assault and verbal abuse, and even threatened to kill me," the FIR stated.

Minister alleges murder conspiracy, shares audio recording

In a further allegation, Arya claimed to have recently obtained an audio recording in which her husband could allegedly be heard discussing a plan to kill her with another woman.

Following the registration of the FIR, the minister shared a video and the purported audio recording on social media.

Arya said the alleged conversation prompted her to approach the police, adding that concern for her children's safety played a major role in her decision.

The authenticity of the audio recording and the allegations made in the complaint have not been independently verified.

Rekha Arya urges women to speak out against domestic violence

Following the complaint, Arya appealed to women facing domestic abuse to seek help rather than remain silent, regardless of their social or professional standing.

"Whether a woman is ordinary or prominent-domestic abuse should not be endured; one must speak up against it," she said.

The minister's health reportedly deteriorated following the developments, and she was subsequently admitted to a hospital.

Further details regarding her medical condition were not immediately available.

The allegations have been formally recorded in the FIR, but the complaint does not establish guilt. Police have not yet disclosed further details about the investigation or any response from Sahu to the accusations.