Allahabad HC asks astrologer to verify if a rape victim is ‘mangalik’ as accused denies marriage on this ground

After the accused, who had allegedly raped a woman on pretext of marriage, denied marrying her because of the victim being ‘Mangalik’, the Allahabad High Court has directed the Head of Department (Astrology), Lucknow University, to determine if the claim is true.

After the accused, who had allegedly raped a woman on pretext of marriage, denied marrying her because of the victim being ‘Mangalik’, the Allahabad High Court has directed the Head of Department (Astrology), Lucknow University, to determine if the claim is true.

The Supreme Court, after the court order went viral on Saturday, has taken a suo-motto cognisance in the matter.

The Lucknow bench of Allahabad HC, headed by Justice Brij Raj Singh, in an order of May 23, has asked both parties to submit their ‘Kundali’ at the university which may decide the matter and submit the report with three weeks time. The matter is listed for further hearing on June 26th.

“Let Head of Department (Astrology Department), Lucknow University may decide the matter whether the girl is mangali or not and the parties will produce the kundali before the Head of Department (Astrology Department), Lucknow University within ten days from today. The Head of Department (Astrology Department), Lucknow University is directed to submit report in a sealed cover within three weeks to this Court,” the court order said.

The court order came during the hearing of bail application of the accused Gobind Rai Alias Monu who had allegedly raped the victim on the pretext of marriage. After the victim filed an FIR, the accused was sent to jail. In his bail application in this court, the counsel of the man told the court that he could not marry her because she is a ‘Mangalik’ (a superstition). The counsel of the victim denied of her being ‘mangalik’.

Sources told The Hindu that the two had met on matrimonial site and the accused had visited girl’s house on the death of her father.