Latest news with #ChildMarriageProhibitionAct
India Gazette
13 hours ago
- India Gazette
Supreme Court grants protection to minor girl forced into child marriage
New Delhi [India], June 18 (ANI): The Supreme Court on Wednesday granted relief to a minor girl, aged 16, who was forced into child marriage and directed the Bihar and Delhi Police to ensure the safety of the girl and her friend. The girl approaching the apex court has said that her family had married her off to a 32-33-year-old contractor on December 9, 2024, from whom they had taken a loan. A bench of Justices Ujjal Bhuyan and Manmohan also issued notices to the Bihar and Delhi governments. It asked the DGP of Bihar and the Police Commissioner of Delhi to provide full security to the girl and her friend and ensure no harm is caused to them. The bench also sought a status report from the police. It further directed that the police have to be in touch with the girl and her friend so that, in case of emergency, necessary assistance can be provided to them. The girl, a resident of Bihar, filed a petition in the apex court through her friend, saying that her family forcibly married her off and she has been subjected to physical abuse and harassment by her in-laws. The teenager stated that she recently appeared for her Class 10 Board exams and wishes to continue her studies, but her in-laws are not agreeable to it. She has appealed to the apex court to protect her from her family and husband and sought annulment of her forced marriage under the Child Marriage Prohibition Act, 2006. The girl further explained that she willingly ran away from home with a friend. However, her family has now filed a kidnapping case against her friend, concealing the fact that her daughter was married. The petition said that her husband has been pursuing the case personally and has told people in Madhopur village that he would not mind going to jail after killing her. The petition stated, 'The Petitioner is presently on the run with a friend (Saurabh Kumar) and fears they would be killed if they returned back to Bihar or were apprehended in the hunt launched for them.' According to the plea, her husband, a civil contractor, claimed that the girl's parents were indebted to them and she would have to continue in the marriage rather than go for further studies to pursue her dream of becoming a teacher or a lawyer. She sought protection from any coercive action by police till the matter is finally decided by law. (ANI)
NDTV
15 hours ago
- NDTV
Bihar Teen Forcefully Married To 33-Year-Old Man. Supreme Court Steps In
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Wednesday issued a notice to the Bihar government on a petition filed by a 16-year-old girl, who is "facing threat" for refusing to continue her "coerced" marriage with a 33-year-old man. A bench of Justice Ujjal Bhuiyan and Justice Manmohan also directed the Bihar police to provide full security to the girl and her friend, who is facing an FIR for alleged kidnapping, after he helped her escape and go into hiding. The top court sought a report in a sealed cover by July 15. In her petition, the girl from Bihar sought annulment of her marriage under the Child Marriage Prohibition Act, 2006 that seeks to prevent the solemnisation of child marriages and provide protection and relief to victims. She said her parents got her married to a civil contractor aged 32-33 years under "coercion" on December 9 and immediately sent her off to her in-laws' house, despite knowing that her Class X board examinations were round the corner. "She was not allowed to return to her parental home by her in-laws who claimed to have given and spent a lot of money for the marriage and repeatedly told her that they wanted a baby," the petition, filed by her friend through advocate Gyanant Singh, said. "Her husband who is a civil contractor claimed that the Petitioner's parents were indebted to them and she would have to continue in the marriage rather than go for further studies to pursue her dream of becoming a teacher or a lawyer," it added. The girl's husband, the plea said, used to mercilessly beat" her on a daily basis "for refusing and resisting his attempt at physical relationship". "She remained under severe stress till the second week of January, when her maternal uncle persuaded the in-laws to allow her to return to her parental home for board examination. Despite all odds, she was able to clear the matriculation examination," it said. As the in-laws began pressuring the girl's parents to send her back, she approached her friend, who agreed to help her after much persuasion. On March 31, the girl ran away from her home and first went to Varanasi with her friend. "They have since been on the run after their location was traced," the plea said. The girl's family, however, alleged she was kidnapped and filed a case against her friend, his father, mother and maternal uncle. "The Petitioner seeks indulgence of this Hon'ble Court as the family members of her friend are being tortured and threatened to ensure that he abandons me, fearing safety of his parents and family members," the plea said. "The father of the petitioner has already been arrested merely on the basis of the allegation in the FIR which is false. The arrest is only to ensure that my friend betrays me and hands me back to my family and in-laws," the plea added. The girl also alleged that her husband has told the villagers that "he would not mind going to jail after killing her". "The state machinery has failed to take appropriate action and come to the rescue of the Petitioner in terms of the mandate of The Prohibition of Child Marriages Act, 2006," the plea said. The petitioner was represented by advocate Abhishek Rai in the top court.
NDTV
a day ago
- NDTV
"Want To Study": Girl, 16, Approaches Supreme Court, Seeks To End Her Child Marriage
New Delhi: A 16-year-old girl from Bihar approached the Supreme Court through her best friend, seeking annulment of her forced marriage under the Child Marriage Prohibition Act, 2006. The teenager who recently appeared for her Class 10 Board exams had appealed the top court to protect her from her family and husband. The petition has been filed on behalf of her by her friend Saurabh Kumar, who faces an FIR for kidnapping her. The minor, however, maintains that Kumar helped her flee her abusive marriage. The girl is said to be facing threat to her life for protesting against continuing in an abusive child marriage solemnised under coercion against her wish. The plea states that her husband has been pursuing the case personally and has told people in Madhopur village that he would not mind going to jail after killing her. "The Petitioner is presently on the run with a friend (Saurabh Kumar) and fears they would be killed if they returned back to Bihar or were apprehended in the hunt launched for them," reads her plea. The plea seeks protection from any coercive action by police till the matter is finally decided by law. The top court will hear the case on Wednesday. According to the plea, the parents of the minor girl got her married on December 9, 2024 under coercion with a person aged about 32-33 years. She was given a send-off immediately after the marriage ceremony even though her Class X board examination was round the corner, she claims, adding that she was assured that she would be allowed to return two days later. However, she was not allowed to return to her parental home by her in-laws, who claimed to have given and spent a lot of money for the marriage and repeatedly told her that they wanted a baby, the plea added. The plea further states that her husband, who is a civil contractor, claimed that the petitioner's parents were indebted to them and she would have to continue in the marriage rather than go for further studies to pursue her dream of becoming a teacher or a lawyer. Her husband, says the plea, used to beat the petitioner on a daily basis for refusing and resisting his attempt at a physical relationship. She remained under severe stress while being abused mentally and physically till the second week of January 2025 when her maternal uncle persuaded the in-laws to allow her to return to her, the plea states further. "She told her mother that she was being abused and wanted to study further but to no avail. On March 31, 2025, she left her home and sought help from her friend Saurabh Kumar who agreed to help her after much persuasion. Saurabh Kumar first accompanied her to Varanasi as per her wish and they have since been on the run after their location was traced," the plea states. According to the plea her mother Pammi Devi lodged an FIR on April , 2025, before the Piplawa Naubatpur police station in Patna district concealing the fact that her daughter was married.
Hindustan Times
08-06-2025
- Hindustan Times
21-year-old arrested for marrying minor Panchkula girl
District police have arrested a 21-year-old man from Karnal for marrying a 17-year-old girl from Panchkula. The case was registered through the child marriage prohibition officer in Karnal. While the marriage reportedly took place with the consent of both the families, it is considered illegal under law because the girl is a minor. A medical examination also confirmed that the minor is pregnant. Based on these allegations, the Sector-14 police station registered a case against the accused under Section 6 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and Section 10 of the Child Marriage Prohibition Act. The accused was produced in a local court on Saturday and taken on one-day police remand. During the remand period, a police team will travel to Karnal for further investigation. Police officials stated that legal action was also being taken against the fathers of the accused youth and the minor girl under Section 10 of the Child Marriage Prohibition Act.
Time of India
19-05-2025
- Time of India
13 booked for child marriage & sexual exploitation of 14-yo in Barwani
Barwani: Police have booked 13 people in a case of child marriage and sexual exploitation of a 14-year-old girl in Sendhwa rural police station area of Barwani district. SDOP Sendhwa, Ajay Waghmare told TOI, "One year ago, the girl was married as a child, and her parents, brother, sister and other relatives, along with her husband's three brothers, sister and other relatives, were involved in the child marriage. " She then went to Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar in Maharashtra with the man she was illegally married to and his brother to earn wages. Here, the man sexually exploited her several times, due to which she got pregnant, the SDOP said. "One day, she complained of stomach ache and was taken to a local govt hospital, from where she was referred to the govt hospital in Sambhaji Nagar of Maharashtra. After examinations, the doctors said that the 7-month-old baby girl in her womb was dead," the SDOP said. Upon receiving information from the hospital, the Gangapur police registered a case under sections of rape, POCSO and the Child Marriage Prohibition Act against 13 people from Sendhwa rural police station area based on the girl's statement. After this, the case was transferred to Sendhwa rural police station area through the superintendent of police of Barwani district, for further action, he said adding that no arrests have been made so far.
