Haryana Transport Minister Aseem Goel has been implicated in an FIR filed in Ludhiana, Punjab, alongside allegations involving his partner Arvind Goel and their family members. The case, registered under several sections of the IPC, may lead to an interrogation of the minister. Despite serious accusations, neither the minister nor his wife have been directly named as offenders in the investigation.
The complaint stems from a marriage between a Ludhiana woman and an Ambala man, where the bride alleges mistreatment and coercion. Prior to the wedding, assurances of nobility were given by Aseem Goel, emphasizing the family’s status and freedom for women from household chores. However, subsequent events revealed a different reality.
The engagement ceremony, costing a staggering Rs 1.10 crore, was followed by unsettling incidents. The bride alleges harassment by Aseem Goel during a houseboat stay, and subsequent threats from her husband, Himanshu, to keep quiet about the abuse. Despite attempts to seek help from family members, pressure to maintain appearances persisted, leading to ongoing mistreatment and threats.
Diksha Thukral, residing in Model Town 108C, lodged a complaint stating that she got married on August 13, 2021, in Royal Orchid Mansuri in Uttarakhand following Hindu customs. This marriage fulfilled the demands of Himanshu Agrawal, Arvind Agrawal aka Lucky, Sangita, Mahak Agrawal, Sachin Agrawal, Nishu Agrawal, Aseem Goel, and Neelu Goel.
Prior to this marriage, a meeting was held between both families at Hotel Hayat Residency in Ludhiana on July 6, 2021. Aseem Goel accompanied Himanshu. Diksha came with her uncle Dr. Atul and Amit. During the meeting, Himanshu expressed his preference for Diksha and assured her that she would be happy after marriage. He mentioned his family’s high status and Aseem Goel’s equivalence to her father.
Diksha stated in her complaint that Aseem Goel (now the Transport Minister), with his MLA status and political influence, assured them that the family is noble and there would be no deficiency. He also mentioned that the women in their house do not do household chores and are free to work outside. After this assurance, the relationship was fixed.
Following this, the engagement date was set for July 11, 2021. According to the in-laws, M-1 destination was booked in Panchkula. The in-laws stated that there should be no shortcomings in this. Aseem Goel and his wife Neelu Goel also insisted that there should be no shortcomings in the program. They arranged for the decoration of the function and asked us to only keep the money ready.
The ring ceremony took place on July 11, 2021. Around 500-600 people attended. There were only 45-50 people from the bride’s side. Diksha mentioned that the accused had already told them that IAS, IPS, DC, and political leaders would attend the event, so expensive gifts were needed for them. Rs 1.10 crore was spent on her engagement.
After this, on the evening of October 20, 2021, when I went to the bathroom while the accused Aseem Goel was staying in the houseboat, he came behind me with an excuse and held my hand and pulled me towards him. Aseem Goel tried to pressure me to stay with him. When I warned him aloud, he let go of my hand. After that, he went to the other accused.
Diksha said that she felt very embarrassed after seeing all this and could not say anything to anyone. Diksha said that when she told her husband Himanshu about this, he threatened her that if she told anyone about it, he and his parents would put her and her parents in great trouble. Diksha said that Himanshu used to take out his pistol on every little thing. The next day, the accused Aseem Goel continued to behave indecently.
Diksha said that she tried to talk about this with Sangita and Nand Mahak, but they advised her to remain silent. When returning, the in-laws repeatedly pressured her to always smile in front of people. “Himanshu drinks alcohol at night and beats me and calls me a mistress,” she said to the police.
Diksha said that she could not bear to see all this and could not say anything to anyone. Diksha said that when she told her husband Himanshu about this, he threatened her that if she told anyone about it, he and his parents would put her and her parents in great trouble.
The case has been registered under Indian Penal Code sections 406 for criminal breach of trust, 498-A for being the husband or the relative of the husband of a woman, subjecting such woman to cruelty, 377 for non-consensual sexual activities among homosexuals, 354 for assaulting or using criminal force to any woman, and 120B for being party to a criminal conspiracy to commit an offence at the Ludhiana Women’s Police Station.
According to Punjab Police, the minister could be interrogated in connection with this case. Alongside the allegations against the minister, there are other serious accusations.
Following the registration of the case, the police are conducting raids to arrest the family members of the minister’s partner. However, they are currently reported to be absconding.
