Ex-PM VP Singh’s granddaughter files domestic violence complaint in Uttarakhand

Uttarakhand director general of police (DGP) Ashok Kumar ordered Dehradun senior superintendent of police (SSP) to probe the allegations levelled by Adrija Manjari Singh, granddaughter of former Prime Minister Vishwanath Pratap Singh, against her husband Arkesh Narayan Singh Deo and her in-laws of the Bolangir royal family for assault and dowry harassment.

Adrija Manjari Singh alleged that she had given a complaint to Dehradun’s Rajpur police station and reached out to the police several times but no action was taken. On Monday, she met DGP for the registration of a first information report (FIR) against her husband and in-laws.

DGP Ashok Kumar said, “On receiving a complaint from Adrija Manjari Singh about allegations of dowry torture and domestic violence, I have ordered SSP Dehradun to probe the matter.”

Meanwhile, SSP Dehradun DS Kunwar said, “I didn’t receive any such order from the DGP office on Monday. I will get it checked and appropriate action will be taken.”

In the complaint, a copy of which HT has accessed, the complainant said, “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 an intention to kill. 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 of 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.”

After meeting the state police chief, Adrija Manjari Singh while speaking to media persons on Monday said, “I got married to Arkesh on November 23, 2017 and we lived in a joint family with my in-laws. We have been living both in Dehradun and Odisha. In 2019, my husband contested in the Assembly election but faced defeat. Thereafter, we both started living in Dehradun and my husband didn’t go to Odisha for some time. In marriages, small issues can happen. Nothing big happened in my marital life too.”

She said, “In January last year [2022] when my mother was diagnosed with cancer, my husband Arkesh, mother-in-law, and father-in-law still pressurised me to come to Odisha and campaign in panchayat elections. They wanted to get political mileage. I again went for municipality elections. I executed my duties as wife and daughter-in-law completely. Only I can understand the state I had to leave my mother for my in-laws. In August, my in-laws sought divorce on a mutual basis. On the one hand, my mother was in poor health, on the other side my marriage was on the verge of collapse. I was in the middle of two issues. I tried to speak to them.”

The complainant further said, “Meanwhile, I reached Dehradun on September 30 and filed a complaint at Rajpur police station against my husband Arkesh Narayan Singh Deo, father-in-law Ananga Udaya Singh Deo, brother-in-law Kalikesh Narayan Singh Deo, mother-in-law Vijay Lakshmi Devi, and Meghna Rana. They wanted to force me out of the house. They restricted my entry into Odisha. Even today, I am the daughter-in-law of the house. It’s my right to live in the house. They abused me through the staff. I suffered to the extent that the guard used to keep an eye on me. They got a camera installed pointing towards my room. It’s an invasion of privacy. What wrong have I done that they have been harassing me? They are a political family and have power and can influence people.”

She said, “A case of domestic violence filed by me is sub-judice.”

When contacted, Arkesh Singh Deo said the allegations are false. “Adrija lodged the complaint against me 6-8 months back. Since the filing of the complaint, I am not living 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.”