India: Twin sisters marry same man, case filed

 

Two twin sisters have married the same man in the Solapur district of Maharashtra state, India. They say that they have grown up together and want to stay together. Sisters Rinki and Pinky work in the IT sector in Mumbai, and according to the local police, both had decided as children that they would marry the same person and move into the same house. Groom Atul runs a travel agency business Arun Sugavankar said that both of them got married at the will of the family. But marriage has now become controversial.

What does Indian law say?

After the wedding video and pictures went viral on social media, a local man filed a police report against them for violating the law. According to Indian law, such marriage is a crime in Hinduism. According to the law, as long as one spouse is alive, a person cannot remarry. Doing so is punishable with up to seven years imprisonment and a fine. However, lawyer Asim Sarode told the BBC that if the two women enter a marriage of their own free will, then not be considered a crime. He says, "Two marriages are customary in many parts of the country." Girls are ready to live with a husband, so other people can't do anything about it, can't interfere.' After the news of the marriage spread, Rupali Chakankar of the state women's commission also demanded an inquiry and legal action. He wrote on Twitter that this is an offense under Section 496 of the Indian Penal Code. It should be immediately investigated and legal action is taken. They were also surprised to give more information about this, hotel owner Nana Gallande told BBC that the wedding took place on the afternoon of December 2. He said that they initially contacted us to organize the wedding ceremony. At that time we were also surprised. After planning the wedding, he first spoke to the girls as a hotel owner. He said that the girls said that both the girls are highly educated. The girls said that we have decided to marry this boy of their own free will. After making sure that both of them were getting married of their own free will, he obtained all their identity card details and then allowed the marriage in his hotel.

Both the girls got married in the same mandap

 The girls lived with their mother. He got to know Atul. Once when the mother and daughters were sick, she used to go to the hospital in Atul's car. As Atul helped the family through this wrong time, this closeness gradually became love. After the report against him, the police told BBC Marathi, "We are investigating the incident and it will be better to say something about it only after that."