HC notice to Raja Bhaiya, stays defamation case against wife

Lucknow: The Lucknow bench of the Allahabad high court has issued notice to former Uttar Pradesh minister Raghuraj Pratap Singh alias Raja Bhaiya on a plea by his estranged wife Bhanvi Kumari Singh, who had challenged criminal proceedings pending against her before the chief judicial magistrate in the state capital.

In its order on Tuesday, the bench of Justice Saurabh Lavania also stayed criminal proceedings against Bhanvi, initiated following a defamation case registered on a police report.

The court also issued notice to Bhanvi's sister Sadhvi Singh and directed Raja Bhaiya and Sadhvi Singh to file their responses in the next two weeks.

The matter will next be heard after three weeks in court.

As per case details, Sadhvi Singh had lodged an FIR with Hazratganj police station for criminal defamation against Bhanvi, on which the police submitted chargesheet in the CJM court in Lucknow.

The court took cognizance and issued summons against Bhanvi.

According to Sadhvi, Bhanvi, in her written response to her husband's petition seeking dissolution of their marriage, had made defamatory statements against her.

It was on this basis that the FIR was lodged at Hazratganj on September 4, 2023.

It was also brought to the notice of the high court that Bhanvi has also filed a regular suit seeking permanent injunction against Sadhvi for a property situated in Cantt area.

The high court bench took the view that the dispute was between two sisters that could be settled by mediation and passed an interim order staying the criminal proceedings against Bhanvi.

Raja Bhaiya had filed a case for dissolution of his marriage with Bhanvi on Nov 14, 2022.