Uttarakhand Minister Rekha Arya Files FIR Against Husband: Alleges Murder Plot, Assault and Forgery — Husband Hits Back
Uttarakhand cabinet minister Rekha Arya has filed a police FIR against her husband Girdhari Lal Sahu, accusing him of plotting to kill her, physically assaulting her, using casteist abuse, concealing a first marriage, and forging her signatures. In a tearful video posted on Thursday, October 15, the Women and Child Development Minister said an audio recording she received — which she claims captures Sahu conspiring with a woman to kill her — left her "shaken" and forced her to approach the police to protect her minor children. Hours later, she was admitted to a Dehradun hospital with acute chest pain. On Friday, her husband released a counter-video calling her "corrupt" and claiming the audio is AI-generated.
The case was registered on Thursday evening at the Cantonment police station in Dehradun under serious sections of the Indian Penal Code — including criminal conspiracy (120B), voluntarily causing hurt (323), cheating (420), forgery (467/468/471), concealment of a former marriage (495), cruelty by husband (498A), insult (504) and criminal intimidation (506) — along with provisions of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. Police say the allegations are under investigation and being verified.
The Audio Clip That Triggered the FIR
The most serious allegation centres on an audio recording Arya says she recently received. According to the complaint, Sahu can allegedly be heard on the phone with a woman, hatching a conspiracy to kill her. The minister says she released two such clips on social media alongside her video statement, and that the recordings left her fearing for her life and the safety of her minor children. The authenticity of the audio clips has not been independently verified, and police say all allegations are still being checked.
Arya told viewers that the recording shook her to the core and put "a question mark" on her marriage, asking whether honesty deserved such consequences — and that she took the step of filing a police complaint only after hearing it, for the sake of her children.
A Trail of Allegations: Bigamy, Assault, Forgery
Beyond the alleged murder plot, the FIR lists a series of grievances stretching back years:
- Concealed first marriage: Arya says she married Sahu — also known as Pappu Girdhari, a resident of Jogi Nawada in Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh — on July 6, 2004, when he claimed to be unmarried. She alleges she learned only years later that he already had a wife and children from an earlier marriage. By then, she had children of her own and, on family advice and for their future, chose to remain silent.
- Extramarital affairs and assault: The complaint alleges Sahu maintained "illicit relationships" with other women in recent months. When Arya objected, he initially acknowledged his wrongdoing and gave both written and verbal apologies — but allegedly continued the conduct. When she persisted in opposing the relationships, he allegedly began physically assaulting her, verbally abusing her and threatening to kill her.
- Casteist abuse: Arya, who belongs to a Scheduled Caste, alleges Sahu used casteist slurs against her in a humiliating manner in front of staff at her official residence.
- Forgery: The FIR alleges Sahu forged her signatures on company documents to falsely show she had retired from the post of director in certain companies — documents she says she never executed or submitted.
"Speak Up": Her Message to Women
In the emotional video, Arya broke down several times, saying she had always discharged her duties "with the Constitution as witness" and would continue to do so, with her maternal family standing behind her. Her core message was aimed at women facing domestic abuse: whether a woman is ordinary or prominent, she said, domestic atrocities should not be endured — they must be spoken out against.
Below: ABP News' report on the minister's viral video.
Hospitalised Hours Later
On Thursday evening, hours after releasing the video, Arya complained of acute chest pain and was admitted to a super-speciality hospital in Dehradun — Krishna Medical Centre, according to reports. A video of the minister, wearing a mask, being wheeled in on a stretcher by hospital staff went viral on social media. Doctors said she was under observation and undergoing tests, and her condition was reported to be stable.
Husband's Counter-Attack: "Audio Is AI-Generated"
The story took a fresh turn on Friday, October 16, when Girdhari Lal Sahu released his own video, accusing the minister of corruption and claiming that the audio recording at the heart of the FIR is AI-generated, according to reports in the Times of India. Sahu is reported to have said that Arya owes her position to him.
Neither side's claims have been proven. The allegations in the FIR are one-sided accusations at this stage; police have not disclosed further details of the investigation or any formal response from Sahu to the FIR itself.
Who Is Rekha Arya?
Rekha Arya is a cabinet minister in Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami's BJP government in Uttarakhand, holding the Women and Child Development portfolio. She is the BJP MLA from Someshwar in Almora district — a constituency reserved for the Scheduled Caste community. She completed her M.Com and B.Ed from Kumaon University, Nainital in 2002, and won the 2022 Uttarakhand Assembly election from Someshwar by a margin of 5,293 votes over her nearest Congress rival. The controversy unfolds ahead of the Uttarakhand assembly elections in 2027.
What's Next
Dehradun police have registered the case and say all allegations — including the audio recording's authenticity — are being verified. Whether the investigation corroborates Arya's claims or vindicates her husband's counter-attack will determine how this political and personal drama unfolds in the coming days.
Rekha Arya FIR Case: FAQs
Who is Rekha Arya?
Rekha Arya is the Women and Child Development Minister in Uttarakhand's BJP government and the BJP MLA from Someshwar (Almora), a Scheduled Caste-reserved constituency.
Against whom did Rekha Arya file the FIR?
Against her husband, Girdhari Lal Sahu, also known as Pappu Girdhari, a resident of Jogi Nawada, Bareilly (UP). The couple married on July 6, 2004.
What are the allegations in the FIR?
Conspiracy to murder (based on an audio recording she released), physical assault, casteist abuse, concealment of a first marriage, extramarital affairs, forgery of signatures on company documents, and death threats.
Under what laws is the case registered?
The FIR at Dehradun's Cantonment police station invokes IPC sections 120B, 323, 420, 467/468/471, 495, 498A, 504 and 506, along with sections 3(1)(d), 3(1)(dh) and 3(2)(va) of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
What did her husband say in response?
On Friday, Sahu released a counter-video calling Arya "corrupt" and claiming the incriminating audio is AI-generated, according to Times of India reports. His formal response to the FIR itself has not been disclosed.
Why was Rekha Arya hospitalised?
She was admitted to a super-speciality hospital in Dehradun on Thursday evening with acute chest pain, hours after releasing the emotional video. Doctors said she was under observation and her condition was stable.
Note: This is a developing story. The allegations above are as stated in the minister's FIR and media reports; nothing has been proven, and the police investigation is ongoing. Details are as of October 16, 2026 (IST).