'Vivah Kendra' in lawyer’s chamber: HC orders eviction, slaps perjury case

What appeared to be an ordinary legal chamber inside the Lucknow district court was allegedly operating as an unauthorised marriage centre, complete with decorations, photographs, and self-issued marriage certificates.

- MANOJ KUMAR SINGH

The Allahabad high court's Lucknow bench has ordered the eviction of two lawyers found running this parallel ‘Vivah Kendra’ from chamber no 31 on court premises, after photographs revealed wedding ceremonies being conducted inside the judicial infrastructure.

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.