SAGAR G.R. Vs. PREETY CHOWDHARY

JUDGEMENT

(1.) This appeal has been preferred against the judgment and decree dtd. 11/11/2019 of the learned Family Court (Central), Tis Hazari Courts, Delhi, annulling the marriage between the parties on a petition moved by the respondent.

(2.) The brief facts as are relevant for the disposal of the present appeal are that in the year 2013, the appellant/respondent and the respondent/petitioner came in contact with each other through Facebook, while the respondent/petitioner was pursuing her MBBS from Lady Harding Medical College, New Delhi and the appellant/respondent was studying for a Masters Degree from AIIMS, Delhi. It was the case of the respondent/ petitioner that on 15/1/2015, she was assured by the appellant/respondent that he could get her admission in St. Johns Medical College, Bengaluru for her post graduation, as he had some contacts in that college. On the basis of the said assurance on 21/1/2015, the respondent/petitioner proceeded to Bengaluru along with the appellant/ respondent believing that she would return in a day. However, the appellant/respondent told her that she had to stay overnight as due to some urgent work, his contact at St. Johns Medical College could meet them only the following day. When she attempted to contact her parents, the appellant/respondent took away her mobile phone and on her raising an objection, she was roundly abused by him. She was also subjected to violence but could not garner the attention of the passersby as they could neither understand English nor Hindi.

(3.) Further, the case of the respondent/petitioner was that she was taken forcibly by the appellant/respondent and two other persons in a vehicle and when she protested and desired to go back to Delhi, the appellant/respondent gave her some water. After consuming it, she lost her consciousness. When the respondent/petitioner regained consciousness, she found herself in an apartment located outside Bengaluru. The next day, the respondent/ petitioner was dragged to a temple by the appellant/respondent where his parents and other associates were already present and she was forcibly married with the appellant/respondent on 22/1/2015. According to the respondent/petitioner, she was taken to a small house located in Gejjallagere, a village, and had a physical relationship with the appellant/respondent due to threats extended by him.