1 W.P. NO.977/10 IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY CRIMINAL APPELLATE JURISDICTION CRIMINAL WRIT PETITION NO.977 OF 2010 Inderpal Mohindersingh Walia ..Petitioner V/s. The State of Maharashtra & Ors. ..Respondents. Mr.Bhavesh Parmar i/b. Vinod Shroff & Sandhya Mailagir for petitioner. Mr. A.S. Gadkari, A.P.P. for respondent No.1-State. Mr. P.N. Mishra for respondent Nos.5 & 6. CORAM : A.M. KHANWILKAR AND U.D.SALVI, JJ. DATED : 13TH SEPTEMBER, 2010 P.C. :- 1. Heard learned counsel for the petitioner and for the respondent-State as well as private respondent Nos.5 & 6. By this petition, it is prayed that the respondents be directed to produce Harmandeep Kaur before this Court and hand over to the petitioner. It is further prayed that directions be issued to the respondent Nos.2 to 4 and 8 to protect the life and property of the 2 W.P. NO.977/10 petitioner and that of Harmandeep Kaur. In so far as the principal prayer is concerned, in our opinion, the same is worked out considering the fact that Harmandeep Kaur has been produced before the Court. She is presently residing with her parents respondent Nos. 5 & 6 at Amritsar, Punjab. 2. Counsel appearing for the petitioner, however, submits that the Court should issue further direction to the respondents to hand over the custody of Harmandeep Kaur to the petitioner. In the facts of the present case, we do not think it proper to consider this prayer. That is so, because, it is the case of the petitioner that he has entered into marriage with Harmandeep Kaur on 21st January, 2009 knowing fully well that the said Harmandeep Kaur is his first cousin. In view of Section 5 of the Hindu Marriage Act, the marriage between the petitioner and Harmandeep Kaur Kuldeep Singh cannot be treated as valid. It is void on account of clause (v) of Section 5 of the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955. If the request of the petitioner was to be considered, it would be putting seal of approval of the Court on the arrangement arrived at between the petitioner and the said Harmandeep Kaur. At the same time, we may observe that said Harmandeep Kaur is admittedly major. She is free to take her own decision, if she so 3 W.P. NO.977/10 desires. That decision could be in consultation with her parents and relatives. We express no opinion with regard to that. In our opinion, no further order is warranted in this petition. Petition is disposed of. (U.D.SALVI, J.) (A.M. KHANWILKAR,J.)