KATHMANDU: Sangeeta Gupta, wife of Constituent Assembly member and former law minister Brijesh Kumar Gupta, has accused her husband of domestic violence ‘for not meeting his dowry demand’.

I was forced to abort twice. He (Brijesh) has not allowed me to enter the house for the past four months with death threats

— Sangeeta Gupta

Organising a press meet in the capital on Thursday, Sangeeta claimed that Brijesh, with whom she is married to for seven years now, meted out mental torture on her, demanding a Scorpio jeep in dowry. “I was forced to abort twice,” said Sangeeta, adding, “He has not allowed me to enter the house for the past four months with death threats.”

Sangeeta said she had been denied justice though she had approached all concerned bodies, including the National Women Commission. “He (Brijesh) caused a domestic help to misbehave with me to prove me a rotten woman and forced me to sign a divorce paper,” she alleged.

Manu Humagain, NWC Spokesperson, said Brijesh did not appear before it despite repeated summons.

Brijesh on his part dismissed the allegations, saying the charges levelled against him ‘were unfounded and baseless’ and were designed to sully his reputation.

“Had I evicted her four months ago, she should have brought this issue to light then only. She accused me of violence and demanding a Scorpio jeep as dowry only after I filed for divorce in the court, as my several attempts to patch up with her went in vain,” the former minister told THT, adding they were living separately for the past four years.

On his refusal to appear before the NWC, Brijesh said, “I have already filed for divorce in the court where I will defend my case, so I did not find it necessary to give statements to the NWC.”

Charges levelled against me are unfounded and baseless and are designed to sully my reputation

— Brijesh Kumar Gupta

Brijesh was elected CA member from Kapilvastu Constituency-3 in the second CA polls on Tarai Madhes Democratic Party ticket.