Woman says Gujarat IAS officer father of her child, seeks DNA test

A Delhi-based woman, who had leveled allegations of bigamy and cheating against Gujarat-cadre IAS officer Gaurav Dahiya, on Tuesday sought a DNA test of her 8-month old daughter to prove that he is the biological father. The woman arrived in Gandhinagar and met state Director General of Police Shivanand Jha and chairperson of the Gujarat State Commission for Women Leelaben Ankoliya.

The state government had suspended Dahiya, a 2010-batch IAS officer, on August 14, and had initiated disciplinary action for “serious charges of misconduct and moral turpitude”.

The woman, who claims that Dahiya married her without giving divorce to his first wife, said she will try to meet Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani on Wednesday.

“I have urged the DGP to lodge an FIR against Dahiya.  I have also met Leelaben and showed her various proofs of my marriage with Dahiya. I have demanded that the commission order a DNA test to prove that Dahiya is the father of our daughter. I want my legal rights as his wife,” the woman told reporters.

After meeting the woman, Ankoliya said the commission would investigate the charges leveled against Dahiya.

“The woman commission will conduct an inquiry. We have heard the woman,” Ankoliya told reporters.

Last month, Chief Minister Vijay Rupani set up an inquiry committee to probe the Delhi-based woman’s allegations of bigamy and cheating against Dahiya.

Taking cognisance of the findings of the committee, Dahiya was placed under suspension by the state government “with immediate effect” on August 14.

The Gandhinagar police is also conducting a separate inquiry after receiving an application from the woman.

Dahiya had recently approached the Gujarat High Court against the police inquiry.

In her application to the police, the woman claimed he married her in February 2018 while keeping her in the dark about his first marriage.

Dahiya, in turn, had submitted an application to the police last month claiming she had honey-trapped and blackmailed him.

He also accused the woman of morphing photos of their alleged wedding to extract money.

He told the police that though they arrived at a compromise earlier, she started harassing him with false claims of marriage.

Dahiya was transferred to the General Administration Department as joint secretary on July 22 after the police received the complaint against him.

He was director of the National Rural Health Mission in Gujarat prior to the GAD stint.