New Delhi: Expressing concern over growing
number of minors eloping and tying the knot in temples, the
Delhi High Court today directed a police probe against office
bearers of a temple in North Delhi which conducts such illegal
marriages.
"It is a matter of grave concern to the court, that in
recent times, in a large number of cases of marriages where
the parties are minors and have eloped from their homes, most
of the marriages have been conducted at Arya Samaj temples
situated in Yamuna Bazar," Justice Hima Kohli said.
"The State is directed to carry out a thorough
investigation of the antecedents of Mandir and such other
Mandirs situated in Yamuna Bazar which issue marriage and
conversion certificates, including details of their
management, the names and vocation of the office bearers of
the management," the court said.
The court directed the police to go through the bank
accounts and other records maintained by the temple for the
past three years and to submit a report before December 14.
"A complete verification of the constitution and the
nature of activities undertaken by the Mandirs at Yamuna Bazar
be conducted by the DCP of the area and an interim report
shall be filed before the court," the bench said.
The court passed the order after it was brought to its
notice that a 12-year-old Muslim girl eloped and got married
in the temple.
The temple had arranged for the conversion of religion
for the minor girl and got her converted to Hinduism for her
marriage with her Hindu boyfriend.
It was alleged that all the process of conversion and
marriage took place on the premises of the temple in a day.
-PTI
First Published: Tuesday, November 30, 2010, 00:41