‘Vivah Kendra' in lawyer's chamber: HC orders eviction, slaps perjury case
The matter came to light during the hearing of a petition purportedly filed by a woman and her alleged husband, Arun Kumar Yadav, seeking protection for himself, he claimed to have married. The division bench of Justice Sangeeta Chandra and Justice Brij Raj Singh was informed by the woman's counsel that she had not authorised the petition and had not married Arun Kumar. She was currently residing with her parents, a claim that was also confirmed by her father through his lawyer.
The court took note that the vakalatnama and affidavit submitted with the petition had allegedly been signed by Arun Kumar without the woman's consent.
Acting on the court's earlier direction, Wazirganj Police Station station house officer Rajesh Kumar Tripathi appeared before the bench on Tuesday and submitted photographs of chamber no 31 located in the old CSC building of the Lucknow district court. The images showed the chamber decorated with flowers and wedding-themed bunting.
The visuals indicated that marriage ceremonies were being performed and photographed at the site. Marriage certificates were being issued in the name of a local trust, 'Pragatisheel Hindu Samaj Nyas', to couples getting married inside the chamber. The chamber bore the signage 'Brahmastra Legal Associates' and the names and mobile numbers of two advocates, Raghvendra Mishra alias 'Hindu' and Vipin Chaurasia.
The court expressed serious concern over the misuse of court premises and questioned how Brahmastra Legal Associates had the authority to issue marriage certificates or 'Vivah Sanskar Patras' on behalf of a trust. The bench also pointed out that the absence of fire or ritual items in the chamber made it 'highly doubtful' that essential Hindu marriage customs, particularly 'Saptapadi', had been performed.
In its order, the bench directed the eviction of the two advocates from the chamber and ordered that appropriate action be taken for running an unauthorised marriage set-up within court premises.
It also directed the initiation of perjury proceedings under Sections 340 and 195 of the erstwhile Code of Criminal Procedure and the Indian Penal Code against Arun Kumar, for allegedly submitting a false affidavit and forging the woman's consent. The case was referred to the concerned Magistrate for further legal action.
Since the petition was filed without the woman's involvement, the court dismissed it. However, the matter has been forwarded to the division bench dealing with suo motu public interest litigation concerning alleged irregularities and misconduct by advocates within the Lucknow district and sessions court.
'We have taken on record all the documents that have been placed before us. We direct the Registry to place the entire matter before the nominated division bench to take notice and take appropriate action,' the court stated in its order.
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