HC orders lodging of FIR against Arya Samaj temple 'Pradhan'

The 'custodian' of an Arya Samaj temple here was taken into custody today on the direction of Allahabad High Court which also ordered filing of FIR against him for issuing marriage certificates bearing the same serial number to two couples.
A division bench of Justice Ravindra Singh and Justice Mohd Tahir passed the order after Ram Kumar Arya, who was produced before the court by a sub-inspector of Kareli police station in the city, pleaded that neither did he sign either of the two marriage certificates nor did any Arya Samaj temple exist at the address printed on the documents.

The court pointed out that the signature of Arya, which was obtained on a blank paper, matched with the signatures on the marriage certificates bearing the same serial number issued on January 2 and August 30.
On the documents, Arya was stated to be the "Pradhan" of Arya Samaj temple at Kareli.
While claiming that no such entity existed in that locality, the deponent however admitted that he was associated with the Arya Samaj temple in Chowk locality.
The court remarked "in such circumstances, it is a very serious matter in which forged documents have been filed, it requires a thorough investigation" and directed the sub-inspector of police who had produced Arya, that the deponent be "taken back to the police station" where an FIR be lodged and the needful be done "as required by law against those who are involved in the offence of forgery and cheating".

The order was passed while disposing of a petition filed by Chandni and Prabhat Kumar of Farrukhabad, who happened to be one of the couples to have been issued the fake marriage certificates.
The couple had moved the court challenging an FIR lodged at Kotwali Fatehgarh police station of Farrukhabad wherein it was alleged that Chandni was abducted by Prabhat who forced her to marry him.
The court refused to quash the FIR, lodged under Section 366 of Indian Penal Code, saying, "Prima facie, a cognisable offence is made out. There is no scope for interfering.