Action sought against couple for violating child marriage Act

Tribune News Service

Panipat, October 14

The district woman protection and child marriage prohibition officer has recommended to the police to register a case against a couple living in a protection house for past one-and-a-half months for violating the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act 2006.

A woman of Pasina Khurd village in her complaint to woman protection officer Rajni Gupta on October 5 alleged that her daughter was a minor. A youth, Ravi of Pasina Kalan village, abducted her and they solemnised their marriage and were living in the protection house, she alleged.

She also took away Rs 95,000 cash and jewellery worth Rs 2,50,000 along with her, the woman alleged.

Following the woman’s complaint, Rajni Gupta conducted preliminary investigation into the matter and recorded the statements of the girl and boy. She found that they had solemnised their marriage at Mansa Devi Complex in Panchkula on September 6. They have been living in the protection house at Police Lines from September 8.

Rajni Gupta said, “I have also recorded the statement of the priest who solemnised their marriage and also collected their marriage certificate.”

It was found that both the boy and girl have two different dates of birth. The girl has two dates of birth — May 18, 2001 as per the birth certificate, and August 15, 2000 as per the school certificate.

The date of birth of Ravi is January 21, 2000 as per the school record, she added.

The age of the girl was 17 years, four months and the boy was 18 years, eight months on the day of marriage, she said.

It was also found that the certificate provided to the priest for solemnising the marriage was suspicious. It is suspected that Ravi had tampered with the certificate to pose as a major and as per this certificate, his date of birth is June 6, 1997, she said.

A case has also been registered by the Sadar police against Ravi, his father Satnarayan, his mother and sister under various Sections of the IPC on the complaint of the girl’s mother, she said.

“I have recommended legal action for violating the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act 2006 and other Sections of IPC on Friday,” Rajni Gupta said.

SI Virender, SHO, Sadar, said, “We sought legal opinion into the matter because of some contradictions due to two separate age proofs and also due to two separate Acts i.e. The Prohibition of Child Marriage Act 2006 and Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act 2015.”

Legal action would be initiated on the basis of the legal opinion, he added.

Double dates of birth

• Both the boy and girl have two different dates of birth. The girl has two dates of birth — May 18, 2001 as per the birth certificate and August 15, 2000 as per the school certificate.
• The date of birth of the boy, Ravi, is January 21, 2000 as per the school record.
• Ravi allegedly tampered with the certificate provided to the priest for solemnising the marriage. On it, his date of birth is June 6, 1997.