Dehradun, October 17, 2026: The dispute involving Uttarakhand Women and Child Development Minister Rekha Arya and her husband, Girdhari Lal Sahu, has intensified after Sahu rejected a viral audio recording as “fake, AI-generated and fabricated” and accused the minister of accumulating illegal assets worth ₹210 crore. His allegations came a day after Arya filed a police complaint accusing him of assault, harassment, caste-based abuse, forgery, death threats and conspiring to kill her. Both sides have made serious allegations, and the matter is under investigation.
Sahu Hits Back After FIR
Sahu released a video rejecting the allegations against him and urging Arya to withdraw her complaint.
He claimed that the case relied partly on an audio recording that had been artificially generated to create conflict within the family. However, no independent forensic finding establishing whether the recording is authentic or AI-generated has been made public, according to the reports cited.
Minister Alleges Assault and Death Threats
Arya lodged an FIR at Garhi Cantt police station in Dehradun on October 15.
In her complaint, she accused Sahu of physical assault, harassment, caste-based abuse, cheating, forgery and threatening to kill her. She also alleged that he had conspired with another woman to murder her. These allegations have not been established in court.
Viral Audio at the Centre of the Dispute
Arya had shared an audio recording that she said supported her allegation of a conspiracy against her life.
Sahu has denied the recording’s authenticity, describing it as fabricated and AI-generated. The recording has consequently become a key point of contention, with its origin and integrity likely to be important to the investigation.
₹210-Crore Assets Allegation
Sahu has accused the minister of accumulating illegal assets worth approximately ₹210 crore and called for an investigation by an appropriate agency.
He has not publicly provided documentary evidence substantiating the allegation, and the claim has not been independently verified. It remains an allegation rather than an established finding.
Appeal to Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami
In his video statement, Sahu appealed to Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami to order an investigation into the alleged financial irregularities.
He claimed to have raised concerns about corruption previously and called for an impartial examination of the minister’s finances. The government’s response to the latest allegations will be closely watched as the investigation proceeds.
Arya Alleges Forgery of Signatures
The minister’s FIR also alleges that Sahu forged her signature and used fabricated documents to show that she had retired from the position of director in a company.
Police have not announced any final findings on these allegations. The authenticity of the documents and signatures will need to be established through the investigation.
Previous Marriage Also Mentioned in Complaint
Arya further alleged that Sahu had concealed an earlier marriage and that she later discovered he had a wife and children from that relationship.
According to her complaint, marital disputes intensified over time and involved repeated instances of alleged abuse and threats. These claims, too, remain subject to investigation.
SIT Formed to Probe the Case
Authorities have initiated an investigation into the matter, with media reports stating that a Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been constituted.
A deputy superintendent of police-rank officer is also reported to be handling aspects of the case. The investigation is expected to examine the competing allegations and the available digital and documentary evidence.
Congress Demands a Thorough Investigation
The controversy has also taken on a political dimension, with the Congress calling for a comprehensive investigation into the corruption allegations and the circumstances surrounding Arya’s complaint.
The opposition has pressed for transparency, while the case has drawn attention because it involves a serving cabinet minister and serious accusations from both sides.
AI Claim Adds a Digital-Forensics Challenge
Sahu’s claim that the recording was generated using artificial intelligence has introduced a technical dimension to the dispute.
Determining whether an audio recording has been manipulated generally requires examination of the original file, its metadata and other relevant digital evidence. Neither the minister’s allegation nor her husband’s denial, by itself, establishes whether the recording is genuine.
Investigation Will Determine the Next Steps
The case now involves two sets of serious allegations: Arya’s accusations of violence, forgery and conspiracy, and Sahu’s claims of corruption against the minister.
The police investigation will be crucial in determining what the available evidence establishes. Until then, the contested allegations should not be treated as proven facts.
Source: The Indian Express, PTI/ThePrint, The New Indian Express, Hindustan Times
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