Prayagraj (UP), Nov 5 (PTI) Taking serious note of “runaway” couples using fake marriage and age certificates to obtain protection from court, the Allahabad High Court has directed police in Uttar Pradesh to conduct a thorough inquiry into organisations involved in the racket and register FIRs against them.
Justice Vinod Diwakar also directed the authorities concerned to place a compliance report before the court by November 18.
The order was passed on a writ petition filed by a couple from Hapur district who were seeking police protection, claiming they had married without their families’ consent.
When the court sought a verification report from the local police, it was found that the documents submitted with the petition — such as Aadhar cards, PAN cards and mark sheets — were forged. Besides, the marriage certificate was also found to be fake.
Marriages are not being solemnised in accordance with the requirements of Section 5 of the Hindu Marriage Act, the court observed adding in many cases, the girls involved are aged between 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 actually 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’ (priest), president, and secretary of the organisation.
Expressing concern over such “organised fraud”, the high 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, and the worst part is that the qualified legal professionals besides Purohits along with touts are also involved”.
The court in its order dated October 17 also faulted the police.
“The police often fail to trace the source of the fake marriage certificates and other documents created allowing runaway couples to obtain protection orders from the courts based on forged documents,” it said. PTI CORR RAJ RT RT
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