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Journalism of Courage
This is one bad news for runaway couples. The ‘gurdwara’ in Sector 32 that gave them quick marriage certificates has been restrained from solemnising any marriage in the future till further orders. The Punjab and Haryana High Court issued the orders after it was brought to its notice that the owner of the ‘gurdwara’ charged exorbitant sums from the couples.
The owner, Gurmeet Singh, provided not only marriage certificates but also bridal make-up and wedding clothes to the couples who would get their photographs clicked to use them in court for seeking protection against their families. The charges varied from Rs 4,000 to Rs 10,000, according to the couples from Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh who got their marriages solemnised at the ‘gurdwara’, the court said.
The judge said three to four petitions were being filed in the HC every day by couples who carried marriage certificates issued by Gurmeet.
The court smelt foul and issued notices to the UT Administration, directing it to find out if this place was actually a gurdwara or a commercial set-up that was earning money by solemnising marriages under the garb of a place of worship. Notices were issued to the Administration on October 16.
UT senior standing counsel Anupam Gupta was directed to ensure that an officer was deputed for the purpose. While the Chandigarh Police gave a clean chit to Gurmeet, holding that there was no cognisable offence made out against him, Gupta submitted on Wednesday that he was not satisfied with the police report.
“This house is by no means a gurdwara. There are only three rooms. In one room, the Guru Granth Sahib has been kept,” said Gupta.
Reacting to the submissions, Justice Ranjit Singh Randhawa said: “The number of marriages conducted here is very large. By keeping a Guru Granth Sahib, the place does not become a gurdwara. Does this person have any legal authority? Some of the runaway couples have said this person even advertises for this so-called gurdwara.”
The judge held: “A larger question is whether a private person is entitled to hold marriages? Gurmeet and his family members are restrained from solemnising any marriage in the future. A further probe will see whether there is a misuse of religion as this may lead to criminal offence.”
Gurmeet Singh is originally from Haryana. He told Newsline: “I closed down the gurdwara today. Police visited my residence yesterday and were questioning about the gurdwara. I am a heart patient and I don’t want to get into any litigation. I was doing this for the benefit of the public. I never charged anything for the weddings. The couples would pay me according to their own sweet will. I had got this place registered by the Administration in 1986.”
