SAMBHAL, India – In an unprecedented family dispute, a man learned his ex-wife had married his father after filing a Right to Information (RTI) request at the District Panchayati Raj Office in Uttar Pradesh, India.
The young man, whose identity remains undisclosed, filed the RTI to gather information about his father, a sanitation worker in his late forties, after the latter stopped providing financial support and moved away to Sambhal.
The investigation revealed that the father had married his son’s former spouse, effectively making her his son’s stepmother. He even has a ‘brother’, fathered by his father.
The son and the woman had married in 2016 when both were minors, but separated six months later. The woman sought divorce citing her ex-husband’s alleged alcoholism.
Circle Officer Vinay Chauhan confirmed that both parties attended a police-mediated meeting at Bisauli police station following the son’s complaint.
“We are attempting mediation, though both father and son displayed aggressive behavior during Saturday’s meeting,” Chauhan stated.
The woman, now in her second marriage, has expressed contentment with her current situation and refused to reconcile with her former husband.
“I am very happy with my second husband,” she stated to local authorities.
Law enforcement faces challenges in addressing the situation due to the complicated nature of the first marriage.
“We have not received any documentation of the initial marriage, which occurred when both parties were minors,” Chauhan explained. “As of now, we cannot register a case. Both parties will receive notices for further sessions.”
The case highlights complex issues surrounding child marriage in India, where despite being illegal, such unions continue to occur in some regions.
The legal age for marriage in India is 21 for men and 18 for women under the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006.
Editor’s Note: The information was gathered from The Tribune India, India News, official police statements and direct quotes from individuals involved.