New Delhi, 21 August (H.S.): The Saket Court in Delhi, in an interim order, has directed Raghuraj Pratap Singh, popularly known as Raja Bhaiya, to pay Rs 30,000 per month as maintenance to his wife, Bhanvi Kumari Singh, and bear all her medical expenses. The order was passed by Women’s Court Judge Chhaya Tyagi.

Bhanvi Kumari Singh had approached the Saket Court seeking maintenance from Raja Bhaiya. In her petition, Bhanvi stated that she was not residing in the shared matrimonial home and was living separately from her husband in Green Park. She said she was the owner of the Green Park residence and alleged that Raja Bhaiya had not provided her with any financial support towards her maintenance so far.

The petition stated that Bhanvi Kumari Singh was suffering from several health problems. She alleged that she had developed lung problems due to physical assault by Raja Bhaiya and was also suffering from a lump in the liver and cataracts. She stated that her monthly income was around Rs 6,000, which was insufficient even to meet her medical expenses.

The Saket Court directed Raja Bhaiya to deposit the maintenance amount into Bhanvi Kumari Singh’s bank account by the 10th of every month. He was also directed to bear the entire cost of her medical treatment.

Raghuraj Pratap Singh, popularly known as Raja Bhaiya, is a prominent and influential politician from Uttar Pradesh. He is the MLA from Kunda in Pratapgarh district and the president of his political party, Jansatta Dal (Loktantrik). He is also the heir to the erstwhile Bhadri estate. He has won the Kunda Assembly seat seven consecutive times since 1993.

Raja Bhaiya has served as a Cabinet minister in governments led by both the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Samajwadi Party in Uttar Pradesh. In 2002, during the tenure of then Chief Minister Mayawati, the stringent Prevention of Terrorism Act (POTA) was invoked against him, following which he was sent to jail. In 2013, his name surfaced in connection with the killing of then Kunda Deputy Superintendent of Police Zia-ul-Haq. He subsequently resigned from the ministerial position in the Akhilesh Yadav government.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar