An Organized Turmoil Emerged Around District Courts Issuing Fake Marriage Certificates: Allahabad HC

a bench Justice Vinod Diwakar He noted that an organized racket of fraudsters and agents had emerged around the district courts on behalf of religious trusts, involving purohits and touts as well as qualified legal professionals.

The Court further stated that the local police also protected such elements of ‘scam’ and even failed to trace the source of fake marriage certificates and other documents created, which enabled fugitive couples to obtain protection orders from the Courts on the basis of such fake documents. documents.

The court made this observation while reviewing an illegal couple’s request for protection.

The Court, which heard the matter in August this year, expressed doubts about the Arya Samaj Marriage documents submitted by the petitioners. The local police were therefore asked to submit a verification report on the legitimacy and reliability of such documents submitted in the fugitive couples’ petitions.

On October 17, the Court examined the report and noted that in many cases, documents attached to the petition such as Aadhar Cards, PAN Cards or Mark Sheets were fake and marriage certificates issued by the Foundation or society were also found. be fake.

The court also referred to the following allegations contained in the report in question:

• Marriages are not solemnized in accordance with the requirements of Section 5 of the Hindu Marriage Act;
• In most cases, the girls in question are between the ages of 12 and 15 and enter into sham marriages with fully grown male adults, often twice their age;
• Fraudsters and spies provide fake documents to kidnap couples to obtain a protective order from the Court when no marriage has actually taken place.
• The record maintained by the foundation or the association does not contain necessary details such as the witnesses’ mobile numbers, identity documents and details including the names of Purohit, the President and the Secretary of the Association

Keeping this in mind, the Court directed the Commissioner of Police, Ghaziabad, to conduct a comprehensive investigation into the role of such organisations, trusts and rogue elements involved in such crimes.

The court also directed the police to immediately register an FIR and take action in accordance with the law if the investigation concludes that any of the above-named persons have committed a cognizable offence.

The issue will now be brought up for discussion again on November 18.

In September this year, the Supreme Court directed An investigation into Arya Samaj Mandirs, societies, trusts and institutions providing marriage certificates, primarily located in Gautam Budh Nagar, Ghaziabad and other parts of Uttar Pradesh.

Dealing with protection cases filed by young couples, Justice Vinod Diwakar observed as follows:

“Such marriages essentially lead to human trafficking, sexual exploitation and forced labor. Children are exposed to emotional and psychological trauma caused by social instability, exploitation, oppression, manipulation and disruption of their education. Additionally, these issues place a serious burden on the courts. Therefore, it is necessary to develop a robust system for document verification and ensuring the accountability of trusts and associations..”