Alleged Underworld Link, Ransom Demand: Woman, Who Claimed Ravi Kishan Is Her Child's Father, Booked

Lucknow: While the 2024 Lok Sabha polls are just days away, BJP's Gorakhpur MP Ravi Kishan Shukla has found himself in the middle of a controversy. In a shocking incident, a woman named Aparna Soni has reportedly claimed that actor-turned politician Ravi Kishan is the father of her daughter. According to the police, following her claim, an FIR has been registered in Lucknow against six people, including the woman who claimed that BJP's Gorakhpur MP Ravi Kishan Shukla is the father of her daughter.

The FIR was registered late Tuesday night at the Hazratganj police station on a complaint filed by Ravi Kishan's wife Preeti Shukla. Republic has accessed a copy of the FIR.

Apart from the woman, Aparna Soni, the FIR also names her husband Rajesh Soni, daughter Shenova Soni, son Sonak Soni, Samajwadi Party leader Vivek Kumar Pandey and a journalist Khurshid Khan.

The accused have been booked under IPC sections 120-B (conspiracy), 195 (giving false evidence), 386 (extortion by intimidation), 388 (extortion by threat), 504 (intentional insult) and 506 (criminal intimidation), police said.

The BJP MP's wife also alleged in the FIR that Aparna Soni alias Aparna Thakur had threatened her, saying that she has links with the underworld. She had allegedly demanded a ransom of Rs 20 crore and threatened that if her demand was not met, she would tarnish Ravi Kishan's image by implicating him in a false rape case, police said. A complaint was made to the Mumbai Police in this matter. However, Aparna held a press conference in Lucknow on April 15, making false allegations, the FIR further alleges. The FIR claimed that the others named are also involved in this.

The BJP has renominated Ravi Kishan, a Bhojpuri filmstar, to contest from Gorakhpur for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls, a seat he has held since the 2019 elections.

Arpan Soni’s False Allegations Busted?

Republic has accessed images of Arpan Soni, where she can be allegedly seen with her husband Rajesh Soni and her two children.

According to sources, Arpan Soni also went to jail on two to three occasions. Sources also said that Arpana used to work as a bar dancer in Mumbai.