Punjab & Haryana HC: ‘Runaway couple marriage can’t be proved merely on basis of pictures’

The Ambala man in his appeal before the High Court had said that he married the woman in March 2015 at Guru Teg Bahadur Gurdwara Sahib Sainik Vihar Jandli according to Sikh rites and ceremonies but soon her father came and took her back to his home. The woman also later refused to return. In court, she alleged the marriage was “managed” by him by clicking photographs and obtaining certificate from the gurdwara, adding that no one from her family was present at the alleged marriage.

The division bench in its verdict said the record reveals the parties were accompanied by a lawyer at the time of the alleged marriage and the marriage certificate does not bear signatures of the couple, adding that the granthi, who was called as a witness before the lower court, has not given details of the marriage ceremonies performed by him.

“Even the relevant entry relied upon by the appellant is not bearing the attestation of aforesaid Granthi. Rather the said entry bears the signatures of one Advocate and … (a) close friend of the appellant (man),” reads the order, adding that “it could be easily inferred that it was not an arranged marriage and rather it appears to be marriage of a runaway couple”.