HC stays arrest 30-year-old man who married 18yo

Dehradun: A single bench of Justice Rakesh Thapliyal on Wednesday stayed the arrest of a 30-year-old man who married an 18-year-old girl. The court while hearing a petition seeking the quashing of an FIR registered against the man by the girl's father, directed him to co-operate with the investigation. It also directed the state govt and the girl's father to file their objections in the matter and listed the case for April 6.The petitioner, Vikas alias Kala, submitted that he and Priya, with mutual consent, had solemnised their marriage on March 1 at a Shiva temple in Roshnabad in Haridwar district. He said that Priya's father was displeased with the marriage and lodged an FIR against him at Ranipur police station, alleging that the girl was a minor at the time of the marriage and that the petitioner enticed her into marrying him.The petitioner, however, told the court that both parties were adults at the time of the marriage and provided both their dates of birth — Feb 4, 2008, and Oct 20, 1995 — with copies of the birth certificates annexed to the petition.An affidavit was also filed before the high court on behalf of the girl, affirming that she is an adult and that the couple indeed solemnised their marriage at the temple.After hearing both sides, the court stayed the petitioner's arrest until the next date of hearing, directed him to cooperate with the investigation, and directed the girl's father and the state govt to file their objections.