TV
The ongoing dispute between the OAS officer and his engineer wife in Odisha continues to unfold, now with sharp counter-allegations that have added a new dimension to the case.
The controversy intensified with Archana’s serious accusations, including claims that Sarthak did not even visit their newborn son at the hospital and discharged her from the medical facility without proper care. In response, Sarthak alleged that it was he who did everything during that time and dismissed the accusations as false.
Archana has further accused Sarthak of prioritizing his mother and sister over her and their child.
"A wife may be bad, but the child is yours. You should have taken care of the child. His first priority was his mother and sister. My husband has been fed in his mind that his wife will take away his mother and sister from him," said Archana.
In turn, Sartak said such claims were baseless and that the complaint seemed to be targeting his family unjustly.
"My mother has liver problems and she was alone at home. I told her that I will go home for two hours and then come back. I also told the nurses about it. However, I got asleep for an hour. When I returned to hospital at around 1 pm, I found chaos there. She asked me whether I will care for my child or mother. I wanted to avoid such moral dilemmas," said Sarthak.
Mohapatra broke his silence regarding all allegations made by his wife Archana, claiming he has remained silent until now for the sake of his own safety.
Acting on a police notice and following complaints filed by Archana, Sarthak appeared at the Bhubaneswar Mahila Police Station around noon today, accompanied by his lawyer. He was interrogated by the officers at the station for nearly an hour, after which he was released with a formal notice.
Speaking to the media outside the station, Sarthak referenced the recent high-profile suicide case of Atul Subhash, who allegedly died due to marital stress and public humiliation. He stated, "I am not Atul Subhash. I will not give up. I will fight until the end through the law. I have full faith in the legal system, the police, and Lord Jagannath."
Meanwhile, in a fresh allegation, his wife Archana reiterated that Sarthak had failed to pay for her hospital treatment. She further said that she has proof and she wants a resolution to this matter.
"He (Sarthak) didn't discharge me from the hospital. My uncle gave the payment and I am having that proof. I am a daughter-in-law in his house. How can I torture anybody there?" asked Archana.
Archana's complaint includes serious allegations of mental harassment, cruelty towards their newborn child, and irresponsibility towards both wife and child. Archana has also named her mother-in-law and sister-in-law in the FIR.
Following the complaint, the Bhubaneswar Mahila Police served a notice to Sarthak. A case has been registered under various provisions of BNS — Sections 85, 351(2), 3(5) — along with Section 4 of the Dowry Prohibition Act.
Sarthak, however, has denied all allegations and termed them as false. He has stated that a divorce petition was already filed in court in May. The case is currently under judicial consideration.
"All the allegations are false and baseless. The divorce petition was already filed in court in May and it is currently subjudice," said Sarthak's lawyer Santosh Sahu.
Archana, on the other hand, claims that she has not received any divorce notice so far.
The couple got married on February 20, 2024, and have a two-month-old child. Despite their high-ranking positions, the marriage appears to have deteriorated rapidly, leading to serious legal and personal consequences.
With a case of domestic violence now registered and a pending divorce petition from the husband’s side, the future of this high-profile couple remains uncertain. Legal experts suggest that the situation may escalate depending on the outcomes of police investigation and court proceedings.
"The wife has filed domestic violence act which will be filed before a Magistrate. By taking the feeding of both the parties, judgement will be given. Similarly, hearing about the divorce petition will be given by a family court accordingly," said lawyer Manas Chand.
