New Delhi: Asking the police to refrain
from interfering with the couple`s happy married life, the
Supreme Court today quashed the criminal cases registered
against a youth by Uttar Pradesh police at the behest of the
girl`s parents.
Though the couple belong to Brahmin caste, the girl`s
parents lodged a complaint of alleged kidnapping against the
boy as they were opposed to the marriage since the latter
belonged to a sect which is considered lower in Brahminical
order.
"Jab miya bibi raazi, to kya karega kazi? They are both
happily married and also have a child. Why do you want to go
after them?" a Bench of Justices Markandeya Katju and T S
Thakur said while quashing the case against Lalithesh Sharma
under IPC Sections 363 (kidnapping minor from lawful custody)
and 366 (kidnapping with the intent of marrying).
The apex court quashed the case on an appeal filed by
Preeti accusing her family members of lodging false cases
against her husband.
Senior counsel Paramanand Katara, appearing for the girl,
said the case of kidnapping registered against the boy was
false and submitted in the court what he called medical and
educational records to prove that both the girl and the boy
had attained majority by June 1, 2007, when they got married.
The Sasni police in UP`s Hathras district had registered
the case on the complaint of the girl`s father Narendra Kumar
Pathak.
Katara argued that the parents of the girl, who
belonged to Pathak community, were opposed to the marriage
as they felt that the boy belongs to Maithul brahmin which
stands lower in standing in Brahminical order.
"So it is a question of high degree and low degree within
the Brahmin community," the Bench quipped while quashing the
case.
PTI
