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Uttarakhand: FIR against ex-PM VP Singh’s granddaughter under SC/ST Act
The development came days after former prime minister VP Singh’s granddaughter Adrija Manjari Singh filed an FIR against her husband and in-laws accusing them of attempting to kill her and harassing her for dowry
The Dehradun police in Uttarakhand registered a first information report (FIR) against former Prime Minister Vishwanath Pratap Singh’s family members under the Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act following a complaint by a house help, an official said.
The FIR has named VP Singh’s son Ajay Singh, granddaughters Adrija Manjari Singh and Richa Manjari Singh and one Sonu as accused. The development came days after Adrija filed an FIR against her husband and in-laws accusing them of attempting to kill her and harassing her for dowry.
The FIR against VP Singh’s family members was registered at Dehradun’s Rajpur police station on the directions of a local court.
Rajpur police station in-charge Jitendra Chauhan said, “We have registered the FIR on the directions of a local court. The FIR was registered under the relevant section of the SC/ST Act and 504 (Intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace) of the Indian Penal Code. Our investigation into the matter is underway.”
Ravita Jha, a maid at Adrija’s husband Arkesh Narayan Singh Deo’s Dehradun house, said, “I have been working at Arkesh’s Dehradun house for five years. Adrija, her sister Richa who used to come to the house, would ask about my caste. They used to restrict me from going into the kitchen saying that I belong to a lower caste.”
The complainant said, “They used to misbehave with me and pass abuses and casteist remarks.”
Adrija Manjari Singh couldn’t be contacted for her remarks on the issue.
In her complaint against her husband and in-laws, Adrija Manjari Singh had alleged, “On May 13 when I went out of my in-laws’ house on Rajpur Road, the guard on the instructions of Arkesh didn’t allow me to enter. After 40-45 minutes, I somehow entered the house. On the instructions of my in-laws, the staff members abused, pushed, and attacked me with the intention to kill. The police reached the spot but didn’t take action. I got my medical test conducted on May 13 and May 14. I got frightened due to the incident due to which I couldn’t give a complaint on May 13.”
She alleged that after some time into their marriage, her husband and in-laws started mentally harassing her for dowry. The complaint said, “My husband and in-laws pressurised me to sell my father’s properties to give them money so that it can be used in elections. When denied, they harassed me in different ways.”
Speaking to HT, Arkesh Singh Deo denied Adrija’s allegations. “Adrija lodged the complaint against me 6-8 months back. Since the filing of the complaint, I have not lived in that house. Three days ago, her father came and put forth demands which are beyond our capacity. The matter is currently sub-judice in Dehradun court. I have complete faith in the judiciary. The truth will come to the fore soon.”
