2 weeks Ago
Prayagraj: Taking a serious note of fake marriage and age certificates used by runaway couples to obtain protection from the court, the Allahabad high court has directed the police authorities concerned of different districts to conduct a thorough inquiry into the role of such organisations that are involved in this racket and register FIRs against them. While fixing Nov 18, 2024, as the next date, Justice Vinod Diwakar has directed the authorities concerned to place compliance report before the court. The present writ petition was filed by a Hapur couple seeking protection from the police, as according to them, they had solemnised their marriage without their parents' consent.
The court had then sought a verification report from the local police. On examination of the report, the court found that the documents attached with the petition, such as Aadhaar cards, PAN cards, or mark sheets were forged. Besides, the marriage certificates issued by the trust or society were also fake.
The marriages are not solemnised in accordance with the requirements of section 5 of the Hindu Marriage Act. In many cases, the girls involved are 12-15 years and are entering into sham marriages with fully grown male adults, often double their age. The touts and agents provide fake documents to runaway couples to secure protection orders from the court, when, in fact, no marriage has taken place and the register maintained by the trust or society lacks requisite details such as the witnesses' information, including their mobile numbers, identification documents, and the names of the purohit, president and secretary of the society.
Taking a serious note of this, the court observed, "In essence, unfortunately, an organised racket of touts and agents has emerged around the district courts over a period of time in the name of religious trusts. The worst part is that qualified legal professionals besides purohits along with touts are also involved. The court has also observed the involvement of local police in shielding these rogue elements of society.
The police often fail to trace the source of the fake marriage certificates and other documents, allowing runaway couples to obtain protection orders from the courts based on forged documents." In addition to the above case, the court found organised fraud in other cases also, which were filed from different districts. Accordingly, the court in its order dated Oct 17 directed the superintendent of police of the districts concerned to conduct a thorough inquiry into the role of such organisations, trusts and rouge elements involved in such offenses whose role are complicit in commission of the crime, and if the inquiry concludes that any of the individuals mentioned above have committed a cognisable offense, the police must immediately register an FIR and take action in accordance with the law.
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