Uttarakhand CM says allegations must be examined through an investigation; minister has accused her husband of assault, harassment, forgery and conspiring to kill her, while he has denied the charges

Lead Reporting

Dehradun: Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Thursday described the dispute between Cabinet Minister Rekha Arya and her husband, Girdhari Lal Sahu, as a matter requiring investigation, stressing that guilt would be determined by law and not by political considerations.

Responding to journalists’ questions about allegations made by Sahu and the controversy surrounding purported audio recordings shared by Arya, the Chief Minister questioned why the allegations had surfaced after the couple had been together for approximately 22 years.

“If they had been together for 22 years, why were these allegations not made earlier? Why have they been made now?” Dhami asked, according to reports of his remarks.

He maintained that the veracity of the allegations could be established only through a proper investigation. Emphasising the importance of due process, the Chief Minister said that no individual could be declared guilty merely on the basis of allegations and that the law would determine responsibility.

“The guilty person will not be decided according to your assessment. The law is doing its work. It is the law, not political considerations, that will determine who is guilty,” he said, as reported.

The Backdrop of The Controversy

The controversy became public after Rekha Arya, Uttarakhand’s Women Empowerment and Child Development Minister, lodged a complaint against her husband at Dehradun’s Garhi Cantonment police station on October 15.

In her complaint, Arya accused Sahu, also known as Girdhari Lal Sahu (aka Pappu), of physical assault, harassment, caste-based abuse, criminal intimidation and conspiring to kill her. She also alleged that he had misused her signatures and documents in an attempt to remove her from company directorships.

Arya further alleged that she had not been informed of her husband's previous marriage when they married and that she learnt about it later. These allegations are subject to investigation and have not been established as proven facts.

Purported Audio Recordings Add to Controversy

The dispute intensified after Arya shared two purported audio recordings on social media, claiming they contained conversations between Sahu and another woman, identified as Kalpana Mishra, also known as Kalpana Chaturvedi.

According to Arya, the recordings support her allegations and warrant action by the authorities. The purported conversations reportedly refer to threats against the minister, money, legal assistance, bail, a flat in Agra and property division.

The authenticity and context of the recordings remain disputed. Their contents should not be treated as proof of the allegations unless independently verified through the investigation.

Husband Rejects Allegations, Levels Counter-Charges

Sahu has rejected Arya’s allegations and described the audio recordings as fabricated and generated using artificial intelligence. In a video statement, he also accused the minister of possessing allegedly illegal assets worth approximately Rs 210 crore and called for an investigation into her finances.

He urged Chief Minister Dhami to examine his claims and appealed to Arya to withdraw her police complaint. The allegations against the minister have not been independently established.

Earlier Complaint Against Kalpana Mishra

Kalpana Mishra’s name had reportedly surfaced in an earlier complaint filed by Arya in Bareilly in September 2024. At that time, the minister alleged misuse of her documents and residential address, the use of a vehicle bearing Uttarakhand government insignia, and the theft of Rs 7 lakh in cash and a gold rudraksha necklace.

Reports indicated that the earlier case had undergone further investigative proceedings after a final report was filed. The precise status and findings of those proceedings would need to be established from official records.

CM Dhami’s Emphasis on Investigation to Determine the Facts

The latest developments have brought a personal dispute involving a serving Cabinet minister into the public and political arena. The competing allegations—including claims of assault, forgery, threats and financial impropriety—raise questions that require examination of documentary evidence, witness statements and the authenticity of the disputed recordings.

CM Dhami’s response places the emphasis on investigation and legal procedure rather than allowing competing accusations to determine guilt in the public arena.

The central question now is whether investigators can establish the facts behind the allegations and counter-allegations through verifiable evidence. Until that process is completed, the claims made by either side must remain allegations rather than conclusions of guilt.