Organized uproar by touts around district courts issuing fake marriage certificates: Allahabad HC

Bench Justice Vinod Diwakar he noted that an organized racket of touts and agents acting on behalf of religious trusts had emerged around the district courts, in which, in addition to purohits and touts, qualified lawyers were also involved.

The Court further noted that the local police also protect such “rogue” elements and even fail to trace the source of fake marriage certificates and other created documents, which in turn enables eloping couples to obtain protection orders from the courts on the basis of such forged documents. documents.

The Court made this observation while considering a protection application submitted by an eloping couple.

While hearing the case in August this year, the Court expressed doubts about the Arya Samaj marriage documents produced by the petitioners. Therefore, the local police were asked to present a verification report regarding the legality and credibility of such documents submitted as part of the allegations raised by the fleeing couples.

On October 17, the Court took note of the record and observed that in many cases the documents attached with the petitions such as Aadhar cards, PAN cards or mark sheets are forged and marriage certificates issued by the Trust or Society were also found to be fake.

We also commented on the following statements in this report:

• Marriages are not concluded in accordance with the requirements of Art. 5 of the Hindu Marriage Act;
• In many cases, the girls involved are aged 12-15 and enter into sham marriages with adult men, often twice their age;
• Touts and agents provide false documents to escape couples in order to obtain a protection order from the court when in fact no marriage has taken place.
• The register maintained by the trust or association lacks required details such as details of witnesses, including their mobile numbers, identification documents and the names of Purohit, president and secretary of the association

Keeping this in mind, the Court directed the Ghaziabad Commissionerate of Police to conduct a thorough investigation into the role of such organizations, trusts and criminal elements involved in such crimes.

The tribunal further directed the police to immediately register an FIR and take action in accordance with law if upon investigation it is found that any of the above-mentioned persons have committed a cognizable offence.

The case will go to the next hearing, which will take place on November 18.

In September this year, the High Court directed investigation into Arya Samaj Mandirs, societies, trusts and marriage certificate issuing institutions mainly in Gautam Budh Nagar and Ghaziabad and other parts of Uttar Pradesh.

Dealing with protection cases filed by young married couples, Justice Vinod Diwakar observed this way:

“Generally, such marriages lead to human trafficking, sexual exploitation and forced labor. Children experience emotional and psychological trauma caused by social instability, exploitation, coercion, manipulation and disruption of their education. Additionally, these issues constitute a significant burden for the courts. A robust system for verifying documents and ensuring the accountability of trusts and societies must therefore be developed“