‘I’m a public representative, yet I faced this’: Uttarakhand minister who accused husband of assault

Uttarakhand Women and Child Development Minister Rekha Arya has publicly accused her husband, Girdhari Lal Sahu, of domestic violence, including physical abuse, verbal harassment and threats. Her husband has accused her of amassing illegal assets worth Rs 210 crore. Arya made her allegations in a police complaint she lodged on October 15, revealing that her husband had concealed his first marriage and subjected her to abuse and threats.

She chose to go public with her allegations to encourage other women to speak out against abuse, despite concerns about the social and political consequences. The dispute has led to an FIR being registered against Sahu at Dehradun's Cantt police station, and a Special Investigation Team has been constituted to investigate the case.