In a recent ruling, the Madhya Pradesh High Court has highlighted the importance of the Saptapadi ritual in determining the validity of Hindu marriages. The court made this clear while rejecting a plea from four individuals who wanted to dismiss an FIR filed against them under Sections 366, 498-A, and 34 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
The petitioners were accused of kidnapping the victim, bringing her to Jabalpur by force, and pressuring her to sign documents related to her alleged marriage with one of the petitioners. Justice Gurpal Singh Ahluwalia, who led the court, carefully examined the arguments presented.
The petitioners’ lawyer claimed that a valid marriage was conducted through the rituals of exchanging garlands (Varmala) and applying vermilion to the bride’s hair (Sindoor). However, the court found that the law does not recognize these actions as a valid marriage. It emphasized that the Saptapadi ritual is essential and without it, a marriage cannot be deemed valid under Hindu law.
The victim had claimed she was forcibly taken to Jabalpur and made to sign documents. The court acknowledged these allegations as a “prima facie case of a cognizable offense” and stated that it was a well-established legal principle to not halt investigations prematurely.
Ultimately, the court decided that there was no basis for interfering with the FIR, and the petition to quash it was rejected.
Case Title: Ajay Kumar Jain and Others Vs State of Madhya Pradesh and Others
Be a part our social media community:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/IndianMan.in?mibextid=ZbWKwL
Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/indianman.in?igsh=MWZ2N3N0ZmpwM3l3cw==
