SOURCE - https://zeenews.india.com/news/nation/attending-2nd-marriage-is-abetting-bigamy-court_715039.html
New Delhi: Close relatives of a person actively participating in key ceremonies of one's marriage for a second time during existence of the first marriage are guilty of abetting bigamy, a Delhi court has ruled.
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Additional Sessions Judge Kamini Lau has held this while summoning the close family members of a man and his second wife to face trial for abetting bigamy for actively participating in key rituals of the man's second marriage.
"In a case where the close relatives of the husband and the alleged second wife, despite having knowledge, participated in the actual essential ceremonies, then they are certainly guilty of abetment of the offence of bigamy," said ASJ Lau.
"It is a settled law that mere participation in the second marriage would not ipso-facto make the relatives or the participants liable for abetment to bigamy since abetment connotes an active suggestion or support to the commission of the crime.
"However, at the same time, those closely associated with the conduct of essential ceremonies of marriage and having actively supported the conduct of the second marriage cannot be let off since that would defeat the very purpose of the provision," ASJ Lau said.
"Bigamy is out-lawed in India except among Muslims and is an offence punishable under the law. Courts in India look down upon bigamy which is more rampant among men. Multiple marriages socially and legally punish women more than men and it is the aggrieved first wife who silently suffers the miseries caused by such a second marriage of the husband," the court said.
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