An FIR has been filed in Lucknow against a woman claiming to be the daughter of Gorakhpur's BJP candidate and film star Ravi Kishan. The complaint, lodged by Kishan's wife, Preeti Shukla, accuses Aparna Soni alias Aparna Thakur, along with her daughter, son, husband, and six others including Samajwadi Party leader Vivek Pandey.
Controversial Allegations Surface
At a press conference in Lucknow on Monday, Mumbai resident Aparna Soni, also known as Aparna Thakur, alleged that her 25-year-old daughter, Saalshinova Soni, is the biological child of BJP MP and actor Ravi Kishan, who is not acknowledging his paternity. The declaration has caused a massive uproar in the political environment of Gorakhpur amid elections.
Ravi Kishan's Wife Initiates Legal Action
The accusation has led to Preeti Shukla filing an FIR at the Hazratganj police station against Aparna Soni, her husband Rajesh Soni, their children Saalshinova and Saunak, Samajwadi Party's Vivek Kumar Pandey, and a Youtube journalist called Khurshid Khan Raju. The FIR was filed under IPC sections 120b/195/386/388/504 and 506.
Ravi Kishan's wife claimed in the FIR that Aparna Thakur had threatened her with underworld connections, warning that if her demands weren't met, she would falsely implicate Kishan in a rape case. Thakur allegedly demanded 20 crores from Shukla, and a complaint was previously lodged in Mumbai as well. Despite this, the woman held a press conference on April 15th in Lucknow, making baseless accusations.
Details in the FIR Reveal More
The FIR mentions that Aparna Thakur has been married for 35 years, her husband Rajesh Soni is 58 years old, their daughter Saalshinova Soni is 27, and they also have a 25-year-old son named Sonik Soni. The entire family is implicated in the conspiracy, which also includes Samajwadi Party affiliate Vivek Kumar Pandey and journalist Khurshid Khan Raju. Preeti Shukla has expressed concerns in the FIR that this scandal is an attempt to tarnish her and her husband Ravi Kishan's reputation and influence the election.
Accused Woman Refutes Charges
India Today/Aaj Tak reached out to Aparna Thakur regarding the case, where she indicated being in touch with her lawyer about the FIR. She clarified over the phone that her legal notice sent about ten months ago to Ravi Kishan never received a reply. She claimed that the notice was a legitimate request for monetary support for her daughter's education, marriage, and future, not an act of blackmail.
Thakur strongly denies any underworld connections; she asserts that such connections might exist for Kishan given his political power. Thakur alleges that she and her daughter have been harassed unjustly.
Further attempts to contact the plaintiff, Preeti Shukla, using the number provided in the FIR resulted in an 'invalid number' message, impeding communication. It remains to be seen how the case will unfold.
