New Delhi, 21 August (H.S.): A 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, she stated that she was not residing in the matrimonial home and had been living separately from her husband in Green Park, where she owns the house. She alleged that her husband 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 ailments. She alleged that she developed lung-related problems due to physical abuse by Raja Bhaiya and was also suffering from a liver lump and cataracts. According to the petition, she has a monthly income of around Rs 6,000, which is insufficient even to meet her medical expenses.

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

Raghuraj Pratap Singh, popularly known as Raja Bhaiya, is a prominent and influential political leader from Uttar Pradesh. He is the MLA from Kunda in Pratapgarh district and the president of his party, Jansatta Dal (Loktantrik). He is also the heir to the erstwhile Bhadri estate.

Raja Bhaiya has won the Kunda Assembly constituency seven consecutive times since 1993. His political influence has been such that he 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 government headed by then Chief Minister Mayawati, the stringent Prevention of Terrorism Act (POTA) was invoked against Raja Bhaiya, following which he was sent to jail. His name also surfaced in connection with the 2013 murder of Kunda Deputy Superintendent of Police Zia-ul-Haq. He subsequently resigned from the ministerial post in the Akhilesh Yadav government.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar