Delhi High Court Directs Woman To Appear In Person To Verify Consensual Nature Of Marriage

The Delhi High Court has directed a woman to appear in person at the next hearing to verify whether her marriage was consensual. A bench of Justice Pratibha M Patil and Justice Amit Sharma issued this direction after the woman appeared via video conferencing but kept her video off during the hearing, leading the court to suspect that she may be indicating that the marriage was forced.

Contradictory Statements Raise Concerns

During the hearing, the court observed a clear contradiction between the woman’s statements to the police and what she said during the court proceedings. The court expressed concerns over the conflicting narratives, stating that her police statement claimed consent for the marriage, while her present statements seemed to suggest otherwise. In light of these contradictions, the court ordered the woman to appear in person in the next hearing with her family members.

The court also instructed police officials to ensure the safe transport of the woman and her family to the court for the hearing scheduled on December 16.

Also Read: Kolkata To Witness Protests Over “Default Bail” In RG Kar Murder Case

The case came to light when the woman’s husband approached the court with a habeas corpus petition, seeking the production of his wife. He claimed that her parents had taken her away and that she had been missing since October 24. According to the husband, the couple had married in a temple in September without the consent of the woman’s family. Despite initially telling the police that she had consented to the marriage, the woman later took a contradictory stand in court.

The husband further alleged that after the marriage, the woman’s parents convinced her to leave with them under the pretext of performing some rituals. Since then, he claimed, the woman’s phone was unreachable, prompting him to file the petition.

Police Statement Contradicts Wife’s Allegations

The police status report reveals that on September 9, the woman gave a handwritten statement at the police station, confirming that her marriage was voluntary. However, a later complaint lodged by the woman contradicted this statement, alleging that the man had forcibly married her.

The case remains under investigation as the court awaits the woman’s appearance to clarify the nature of her marriage and resolve the contradictions.