Hooda accused of bigamy, Oppn demands resignation

CHANDIGARH: The Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) on Monday alleged that Haryana CM Bhupinder Singh Hooda has two spouses — prohibited under Hindu Marriage Act — and demanded his resignation. As evidence, INLD leaders referred to a petition that a woman named Shashi had allegedly filed at a Dehradun court last December and had withdrawn shortly after.

INLD leader Abhay Singh Chautala alleged at a press conference that Hooda married onetime Youth Congress leader Shashi in November 1992 despite being already married, and had a child with her. “Hooda tricked Shashi into believing he would divorce his legally-wedded wife. After their son was born, he kept on meeting Shashi and the child in a Delhi hotel or at his residence,’’ Chautala claimed.

Defending the CM, Congress MLAs BB Batra and RS Kadian said the petition was malicious. “The allegations are flimsy and don’t hold ground, ”they said.

Chautala, however, said Hooda humiliated Shashi after marrying her under pressure. “We want Congress to expel him, seek his resignation as CM and conduct a thorough inquiry,’’ Chautala said.

HT went to verify whether the petitioner lived at the address given in the petition but did not find anyone named Shashi living there. ”No one named Shashi lived as tenant or relative in our house,” said Meherban Rawat, a resident of the address listed in the petition. Rawat added that he had been residing there since birth.