In a significant judgment, the Odisha High Court on Monday slapped a fine of Rs 2 lakh on a social organisation for allegedly facilitating marriage of a minor girl and directed it to contribute the amount of fine to the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund.
A Division Bench of Justices MM Das and AK Rath, taking up a habeas corpus writ filed by one Amulya Kumar Jena of Dhenkanal district, held Bhubaneswar-based Anti-Caste Marriage and One Child Family Organisation (AMOFOI) guilty for conducting the marriage of petitioner Amulya Jena’s minor daughter in March this year. Jena’s daughter, a Plus III first year student, was 17 years and nine months old when she married her lover with the help of the AMOFOI on March 26.
Both the lovers had run away from their homes and approached the AMOFOI to facilitate their marriage. However, questioning the authority of the AMOFOI in facilitating the marriage of the minor girl, the court held it responsible and fined it. When contacted, the AMOFOI secretary B Ramachandra CST Voltaire told this correspondent that his organisation is going to challenge the HC verdict in an appropriate forum.