Uttarakhand Minister Rekha Arya's Husband Arrested Days After Assault Complaint

Dehradun: Uttarakhand Police arrested state Cabinet Minister Rekha Arya's husband, Girdhari Lal Sahu alias Pappu Girdhari, from Uttar Pradesh's Jhansi, officials said on Saturday.Speaking to ANI, Dehradun SSP Pramendra Dobhal mentioned that Giridhari Lal has been arrested on charges of forgery as well as serious offences under the SC ST ActThe SSP also mentioned that another accused, Satyendra Thakur, was arrested near Kichha in Udham Singh Nagar district, adding that both accused are currently being sent to judicial custody."A case was registered against Girdhari Lal Sahu on October 15, following a complaint filed by the Cabinet Minister, Rekha Arya. The charges include forgery as well as serious offences under the SC/ST Act. Given the gravity of the matter, a special team was constituted; this nine-member team has now proceeded with the investigation and successfully arrested two key accused: Girdhari Lal Sahu and Satyendra Thakur. As the investigation continues, any other individuals whose names emerge will also face appropriate legal action... Girdhari Lal Sahu was arrested near the Jhansi district in Uttar Pradesh and has been brought here, while Satyendra Thakur was arrested near Kichha in the Udham Singh Nagar district... They are currently being sent to judicial custody. Further steps will be taken to gather evidence..." said Dobhal.The Cabinet Minister's husband, Girdhari Lal Sahu, was arrested yesterday evening outside a private university campus in the Jhansi district of Uttar Pradesh after he had been on the run for some time.Addressing a press conference, SSP Dobhal mentioned that Sahu had over 44 cases registered against him, having been previously convicted in some of these cases, while others remain pending alongside past charges under serious legal provisions."Girdhari Lal Sahu has an extensive criminal history; over 44 cases have been registered against him. He has previously been convicted in some of these cases, while others remain pending. Furthermore, he has faced charges under serious legal provisions in the past," said Sahu.The SSP also mentioned that the police confirmed the forgery was used to remove Rekha Riya from her position as a director of a company and install the accused Satendra Thakur as a director in her place."Based on the evidence gathered, we will present the accused before the honorable court today, seeking his judicial remand. Additionally, another individual, Satendra Thakur, has also been arrested. As you are aware, they used forgery to remove Smt. Rekha Riya from her position as a director of a company and, as part of a conspiracy, installed the nephew as a director in her place. This has been definitively confirmed, as have the other allegations levelled against them," added Sahu.Earlier, Uttarakhand Cabinet Minister Rekha Arya lodged an FIR against her husband, Girdhari Lal Sahu alias Pappu Girdhari, at the Cantt Police Station in Dehradun under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), 1860, and the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989.In her complaint to the police, Cabinet Minister Rekha Arya alleged that her husband's behaviour towards her had changed over the past few months, during which she came to know about his alleged illicit relationships with other women. When she objected to these relationships, her husband initially admitted his mistakes and apologised to her both verbally and in writing. However, she alleged that he continued the same activities despite the apologies.Arya alleged that when she opposed these relationships, Girdhari Lal Sahu began physically assaulting her, abusing her and threatening to kill her. She also alleged that on several occasions, he used caste-based derogatory remarks to insult her in the presence of staff at her official residence.The minister further alleged that she came to know that Girdhari Lal Sahu had used forged signatures and fake documents to show her as having been removed from the position of director in the concerned companies. She claimed that she had neither signed nor executed any such documents nor submitted any resignation.(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)