Cong leader’s wife alleges abuse over dowry:Claims he forced her to leave her IAS husband, threatened her life

A high-profile family dispute has emerged in Bhopal, the capital of Madhya Pradesh. The wife, a bank manager, has filed a complaint against her husband, a senior Congress leader, alleging dowry harassment and physical assault. According to the complaint, the politician demanded ₹2 crore as dowry. When the amount was not paid, he allegedly assaulted her and forced her out of the house. Based on the complaint, police have registered an FIR against the Congress leader under sections for assault and dowry harassment. Notably, this is the second marriage for both husband and wife, and the couple has been married for 19 years. The wife claims her first marriage was to an IAS officer, which the politician allegedly forced to end before marrying her. The Congress leader, on the other hand, has claimed that the wife has been blackmailing him for the past 15 years and that she filed the FIR after he issued her a divorce notice. Marriage to IAS officer in 2003 and happy life Shikha Singh’s story reads like a film plot. Coming from a well-educated family, Shikha holds an MBA, and her relatives have held senior positions in the police department. She married an IAS officer of the Madhya Pradesh cadre in 2003, and the couple lived in a government residence in Bhopal’s upscale ‘Char Imli’ area, enjoying a happy life. Shikha herself served as a manager at a reputed bank. Her life took a turn when Mahendra Singh Chauhan, then chairman of NITTTR, entered her life. Shikha claims, “He started visiting me at the bank frequently. He began urging me to separate from my IAS husband, and he succeeded in doing so.” Father said – You will end up on the street from Char Imli Chauhan allegedly expressed emotional sentiments about his wife that drew Shikha closer. He also introduced Shikha to his two children. Shikha claims his daughter told her that Chauhan’s parents had been sleeping in separate rooms for a decade. Upon learning of the relationship, her family strongly opposed it. Shikha’s father reportedly warned, “You will go from Char Imli straight to the street.” Every family member objected, as Chauhan was not only married but also 20 years older than Shikha. At the time, his daughter was 17 and son 15. Shikha has admitted she fell for his persuasion. Initial years went well, then came period of restrictions The initial years of their marriage were reportedly happy. Shikha lived with Chauhan, his two children, and their own son. However, the happiness did not last long. Shikha alleges that restrictions began to be imposed on her, she faced cruel treatment, and was pressured for dowry. In her application to the Bhopal Police Commissioner, Shikha stated that two to three years after the marriage, Chauhan’s behavior became abusive. She was pressured to bring money from her parental home and was told to claim her share of her family property. Refusal led to physical abuse. She also alleged that her son was treated cruelly and that both were sometimes locked in a room in anger. Accusation of attempted murder by poisoning Shikha further alleged a chilling incident where Chauhan reportedly spiked her juice with a poisonous substance. She lost consciousness and later regained awareness in a hospital. According to Shikha, Chauhan, seeing her condition, pressured her not to disclose the matter and promised such actions would not recur, which temporarily pacified her. However, she claims that his abusive behavior, including alcohol-fueled assaults and divorce threats, resumed. On February 9, the dispute escalated, requiring her hospitalization. Thrown out of house with death threats The conflict reportedly reached a peak when Chauhan allegedly showed Shikha his licensed firearm and threatened her life. Shikha claims he said that once she was dead, all her father’s property would come under his name. On February 9, at around 2 pm, Chauhan allegedly assaulted Shikha and forced her out of the house, locking the gate behind her and threatening that unless she brought ₹2 crore and a car from her parental home, he could harm her on her way to work. Shikha informed the police that she lives alone in Bhopal while her son stays in a hostel, and that Chauhan owns two licensed firearms. Allegations of forged signatures and eviction from NGO Apart from domestic violence claims, Shikha accused Chauhan of fraud. She stated that he allegedly forged her signatures to remove her from director positions at two NGOs in Narsinghpur and Narmadapuram, replacing her with his associates. She has also lodged complaints with the Ministry of Skill Development of the Government of India. Chauhan says – I had already given divorce notice When contacted, Mahendra Singh Chauhan dismissed the allegations as a premeditated conspiracy. He claimed the relationship had deteriorated long ago, making cohabitation impossible, and that he had served Shikha a divorce notice. He alleged that the FIR was filed against him without considering his side of the story. Chauhan stated that their marriage and divorce matter is already pending in court. Truth will emerge from police investigation The case now stands entangled between two conflicting narratives: one of a wife alleging betrayal, years of harassment, and threats to her life, and another of a powerful politician claiming a scheme to tarnish his reputation and blackmail him. Police officials investigating the matter have confirmed that statements from both parties will be recorded, and the truth will emerge through the investigation.