Caste panchayat pulled up by Raj High Court, members apologise

Barring a caste panchayat from inflicting punishment on the family of a youth, who tied the knot with a married woman, or anyone else, the Rajasthan High Court today granted anticipatory bail to its members after they tendered an apology before it for their actions.
Udaram Dewasi, a resident of Rowara village of Sheoganj in Sirohi district, had filed a complaint in court alleging that a penalty of Rs 5.14 lakh was imposed on his family which was ostracised by a caste panchayat after his son wedded a married woman, government counsel Mahipal Bishnoi told reporters.
"Despite paying the penalty, the panchayat went back on its assurance of ending the family's isolation following which Udaram lodged a case against the panches through an 'istegasa' on September 10, this year," he said.

Bishnoi said that the six panches then moved anticipatory bail pleas in the Rajasthan High Court.
Justice Kanwaljit Singh Ahluwalia, while hearing their applications, granted them bail considering their old age, and directed that they apologise before the court.
"All the six panches, named in the complaint, appeared in the court today, where Justice Ahluwalia warned them against engaging in any such activity in future and made them apologise for their deed," Bishnoi said.
The court accepted the bail applications of the panches considering their old age and said the police investigation in the case will not be affectd by this decision and will continue.