Woman claims Cong leader had her beaten up by police

Sushila Chaudhry has reportedly written identical letters to the Rajasthan Home Minister, the state Women’s Commission president and the state Congress chief, claiming that Aanjana kept her “as a wife” at House No. 31, Sector-13, Hiran Magari at Udaipur, for four years. He apparently also provided her with a Maruti car, a cellular telephone and other facilities.

Chaudhry says Aanjana used to visit her till June 3, but turned his back on her thereafter and stopped paying her “maintenance” too. She claims that he called her up on the telephone on June 30 and asked her to come over to Neembahera. When she reached Aanjana’s factory the next day, she claims, he got her beaten up by Circle Police Inspector Dalpat Singh, Inspector Vijendra Singh and ASI Nanad Kishore Menaria. She has sought action against them all.

When contacted by The Indian Express on the telephone at Neembahera, in Chittaurgarh district, Aanjana denied that Chaudhry was like his wife, but conceded that he knew her. He added that Chaudhry was a married woman, but was staying alone. “I helped her at her father’s request. Besides this, I have nothing to do with her.” He also described her as “mentally disturbed” and claimed that she was trying to “blackmail” him.

When asked to elaborate on this, Aanjana said he would divulge “everything at the right moment”. He added that he had met Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and had requested him to order a CBI inquiry into the matter to ascertain the truth. The entire controversy, according to him, had been created by his political opponents right before organisational polls so that they could derive benefit from it.

State Home Minister Gulab Singh Shaktawat told The Indian Express that Chaudhry had met him and submitted a complaint against Aanjana. He also said that he had ordered the Crime Branch to investigate the matter.

Women’s Commission Chairperson Kanta Kathuria said she could not say for sure whether or not Chaudhry’s complaint had been received by the commission. She added that two members of the commission were currently out of town and she could say something only after checking up with them. State Congress president Girija Vyas was away on a tour of Alwar and unavailable for comment.