Who is Rekha Arya? Uttarakhand BJP minister files FIR against husband over assault, caste abuse and death threats

Rekha Arya, a cabinet minister in the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government of Uttarakhand, has filed an FIR against her husband, Girdhari Lal Sahu, accusing him of physical assault, harassment, using caste-based slurs, and issuing death threats.

Hours after she posted the video about the allegations against her husband on Facebook on Thursday, Arya was admitted to Krishna Medical Centre in Dehradun, where she was undergoing treatment.

The FIR was registered on 15 October at the Cantt police station in Dehradun, under relevant sections of law, including three sections of the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

In the FIR, Arya said that she belongs to Scheduled Caste and Sahu was aware of this from the beginning. She alleged that at the time of their marriage, Sahu deceived her by claiming he was unmarried.

Illicit relationships

"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," states the copy of the FIR filed by Arya.

She further alleged that Sahu is "maintaining illicit relationships with other women."

"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," mentions the FIR.

Arya further mentions that recently she obtained an audio recording in which Sahu is heard conspiring with a woman to kill her.

Following the filing of the FIR, Arya posted a video and the aforementioned audio recording on social media platform. According to the minister, she decided to approach the police after listening to the audio, adding that she took this step to ensure the safety of her children.

Urging women to speak out against domestic abuse, Rekha Arya stated, "Whether a woman is ordinary or prominent-domestic abuse should not be endured; one must speak up against it."

Arya, the BJP MLA from Someshwar in Almora district . The seat is reserved for Scheduled Caste community, in Almora District. She is minister for Women and Child Welfare in chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami-led BJP government in Uttarakhand

Arya is from Someshwar, Almora District, Uttarakhand and married Girdhari Lal Sahu. She completed her M.Com. at Kumaon University, Nainital and also did her B.Ed. at the same university in 2002.

She won from Someshwar Assembly constituency representing BJP is 2022 Uttarakhand Legislative Assembly election defeating her nearest rival, Rajendra Barakoti of Congress, by a margin of 5,293 votes.

Aryabecame an MLA for the first time winning the 2014 Uttarakhand Legislative Assembly bye election and retained the seat in the 2017 Uttarakhand Legislative Assembly election.

In the 2012 Uttarakhand Legislative Assembly election she lost an independent candidate from the same Someshwar constituency to Ajay Tamta.

The Congress called the episode “a matter of utter shame for the BJP government”.

“If a minister of the state is herself saying that her life is under threat from her husband, and filing a police complaint against him, it is certainly a matter of utter shame for the government,” Congress spokesperson Garima Mehra Dasauni said.

She demanded that Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami explain what steps had been taken for Arya's safety and what action had been taken on the complaint.

“Our demand is clear: there should be a fair investigation into the complaint, a forensic examination of the audio, and if the allegations are proven, strict action in accordance with the law. Women's safety is not a political slogan; it is the government's responsibility,” she said.

“Whether a woman is ordinary or prominent—domestic abuse should not be endured; one must speak up against it.” — Rekha Arya

The state goes to the polls late next year.

(With agency inputs)

About the Author

Gulam Jeelani is Political Desk Editor at LiveMint with over 16 years of experience covering national and international politics. Based in New Delhi, Jeelani delivers impactful political narratives through breaking stories, in-depth interviews, and analytical pieces at LiveMint since February 2024. The expertise in video production fuels his current responsibilities, which include curating content and conducting video interviews for an expanding digital audience.<br><br> Jeelani also travels during elections and key political events and has covered assembly elections in key states apart from national elections. He has previously worked with The Pioneer, Network18, India Today, News9Plus and Hindustan Times.<br><br> Jeelani’s tenure at LiveMint and previous experience at print and digital newsrooms have honed his skills in creating compelling text and video stories, explainers, and analysis that resonate with a diverse viewership.<br><br> Before moving to New Delhi in 2015, Jeelani was based in Uttar Pradesh, where he worked for five years as a reporter. In 2018, Jeelani was one of the two Indian journalists selected for the Alfred Friendly Fellowship in the US. There, he attended training workshops on reporting and data journalism, and he was attached to the Minneapolis Star Tribune in Minnesota, where he worked as a reporter.<br><br> Jeelani is a Bachelor's in Chemistry and holds a Masters Degree in journalism and mass communication from Aligarh Muslim University. Outside work, he enjoys poetry, cricket and movies.