The court made it clear that if the couple were found to be below the marriageable age, the court would not prohibit their prosecution
Picture used for representation purpose only
A runaway couple was in for trouble after the Punjab and Haryana high court on Monday issued contempt notices against them for supplying wrong information in their plea before the court. The authorities have also been asked to apprise the HC in February of the action taken in their case under the provisions of the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act as at the time of marriage, the couple was underage.
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According to a report in Hindustan Times, the couple, in the plea filed on September 24, had claimed that the boy was 21-year-old and the girl's age was 20. The couple sought protection as they got married on September 21 against the wishes of their parents.
However, the family members got a whiff of the petition and appeared during the proceedings through a lawyer on September 24. The family members stated that they were minors and this prompted the court to get their age verified. The court also made it clear that if both of them were found to be below the marriageable age, the court would not prohibit their prosecution.
On October 5, the authorities apprised the court that the girl was 17-year-old, while the youth was 20. This is when the court questioned their counsel as to how marriage was conducted between minors. However, no satisfactory response was forthcoming from them.
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Upon this, the court sought a response from the duo by October 29 as to why they should not be proceeded against under the provisions of the Contempt of Courts Act. However, the couple did not give any response on the adjourned date. While referring to the matter as contempt of court, the court stated that if no reply is filed by them, then no further latitude will be given.
It will be taken that they have nothing further to say in the matter and naturally, therefore the contempt petition would be taken to its logical end, the court observed.
On Monday, the contempt of court bench sought a response from the couple as to why contempt proceedings should not be initiated, and further, an affidavit has been sought from either Fatehabad superintendent of police or deputy superintendent of police with an action-taken report on February 16 in this case.
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