Moral education needed to curb elopements, runaway marriages: Delhi court

New Delhi: To curb the menace of elopement and runaway marriages, parents should impart moral education in their children instead of filing false rape cases, a Delhi court has observed while acquitting a youth of the charges of kidnapping and raping his lover. The court said that the youth, a Bihar native, had been “very unfortunate” to have faced the arrest and trial in this case when he had not resorted to any criminal activity and his acquittal was the only decision which it could order. [caption id=“attachment_1209773” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Representational image. Reuters[/caption] “In today’s scenario, where mobile phones, internet, cable TV etc. have made inroads in our households, parents shoulder a great responsibility in imparting moral values and education to their children so that they are able to abide by good moral standards and differentiate between what is good, bad and attractive. “They have to be told and taught that what is attractive is not always good and what is good only has to be adhered to in all respects. Filing of false rape charges would certainly not curb the menace of elopement and runaway marriages. Imparting good moral education and keeping a proper check or vigil on the activities of children in their adolescent age would do,” Additional Sessions Judge Virender Bhat said. The court’s observations came while acquitting the youth, who was accused of kidnapping and raping the minor girl with whom he was in love and had married her. The girl’s mother had lodged a complaint in March 2010 that her 13-year-old daughter was missing. Later on, when the girl was recovered, she told the police that her age was between 17-18 years and she had gone with the accused to Bihar on her own will. The couple had married in Bihar and she was also pregnant when she were found. On the complaint of girl’s parents, a kidnapping and rape case was registered against the youth. The girl had told the court that her family was against their relationship and marriage as they belonged to different religions and this prompted them to elope. PTI