Uttarakhand High Court Denies FIR Cancellation for Minister Rekha Arya's Husband

Legal Dispute Escalates for Uttarakhand Minister

The ongoing conflict between Uttarakhand's Cabinet Minister Rekha Arya and her spouse, Girdhari Lal Sahu, has taken a significant legal turn. The Nainital High Court has dismissed Sahu's petition seeking the cancellation of the FIR filed against him, delivering a major setback. The court also rejected his request to stay his arrest, paving the way for further investigation into the matter.

Background of the Case

On October 15, Rekha Arya, who serves as the Minister for Women Empowerment and Child Development in Uttarakhand, lodged an FIR at the Cantt police station in Dehradun against her husband. In her complaint, she accused him of serious offenses including fraud, physical assault, mental harassment, caste-based remarks, threats, and forgery. Arya alleged that Sahu concealed information about his previous marriage and children before marrying her.

The complaint further claimed that there were attempts to remove her from directorships in companies through forged signatures and documents. Additionally, Arya referenced an alleged audio recording that suggested a conspiracy to kill her. Based on these allegations, the police registered a case under relevant legal provisions.

Arguments Presented in High Court

In an effort to annul the FIR and prevent his arrest, Girdhari Lal Sahu approached the Nainital High Court. He argued that he and Rekha Arya have been married since July 2004 and have lived together for nearly 22 years, characterizing the situation as a domestic dispute and denying the allegations against him.

Conversely, Rekha Arya and the state government opposed the petition, asserting that the allegations extend beyond a mere marital dispute and involve serious criminal matters.

Reasons for Court's Rejection

Justice Alok Mehra, presiding over the single bench, stated that the allegations cannot simply be dismissed as a marital issue. The court emphasized the necessity of investigating claims of assault, document forgery, caste-based insults, and criminal conspiracy.

The court clarified that the mere duration of the marriage does not invalidate subsequent alleged offenses. The authenticity of the audio recording and documents will be assessed during the trial, and the court cannot conduct a mini-trial at this stage.

Based on these considerations, the High Court rejected Sahu's petition and declined to annul the FIR.

Next Steps

Following this ruling, the legal proceedings and investigation against Girdhari Lal Sahu will continue. However, the allegations in the FIR have yet to be proven in court. Future legal actions will depend on the facts and evidence that emerge during the investigation.

This decision has reignited discussions surrounding the ongoing dispute between Rekha Arya and her husband within Uttarakhand's political landscape.