In an interim order, the court had stayed the police investigation as well as the petitioners' arrest.Taking a note of an investigation in a case against a couple who married against wishes of the woman’s family, the Allahabad High Court came down heavily on the police officials concerned, observing that police should investigate crimes and not marriages and that they “ have no business in the matter to be nosy parkers”.In a July 27 order, a division bench of Justices JJ Munir and Tarun Saxena imposed a fine on the Bhadohi superintendent of police (SP) and the Suriyawan station house officer (SHO), and quashed the FIR lodged against the man by the woman’s father on charges of abduction to force her into marriage against her will.The bench stated, “The police have no business in the matter to be nosy parkers. We have repeatedly reminded the police that it is no business of theirs to investigate marriages. They ought to investigate crimes. This is no crime, where any investigation is required.”The couple, aged 28 and 27, who are postgraduates with certificate courses in teaching, had filed a petition challenging the FIR lodged against the man on April 19 in Bhadohi district, saying they were “major”.The man is currently a government school teacher in Madhya Pradesh.The two informed the court that they got married with Arya Samaj rituals in Prayagraj on February 18 after being in a relationship for one year. The woman’s father lodged the case against the man after coming to know of the marriage on April 18.After the petition was filed, the HC on April 29 had stated that “two major citizens of the country married according to Hindu rites” and “prima facie there was nothing in the FIR to investigate”.Story continues below this adIn an interim order, the court had stayed the police investigation as well as the petitioners’ arrest.But in its July 27 order, the bench observed, “…We are utterly disillusioned by the stand taken by the Superintendent of Police, Bhadohi that the investigation has to be completed. This is a case where the matter ought to have been concluded, in view of the statement recorded before us.”“The insistence of the SP in getting the statement of the woman recorded before the Investigating Officer and the Judicial Magistrate is almost contumacious. After her statement recorded by a division bench of the High Court, no court in the state or police authority have business, in a matter like the present one, to record any further statement for the first petitioner and form a different opinion on its basis,” the bench said.“We are minded to think that the petitioners are right that the police are indeed siding with the fourth respondent and wish to carry on the investigation by recording statements of parties. To continue the investigation into an adult’s free choice of her partner and marriage between two major citizens of the country is not only an abuse of process of criminal law, but also gross violation of their fundamental right to liberty guaranteed under Article 21 of the Constitution,” the order read.Story continues below this ad“Considering the action of the police in insisting to investigate the marriage despite high court’s detailed order on April 29, and the woman’s father lodging an FIR for his daughter marrying a man of her choice, the court is of opinion that some costs deserve to be imposed on the state as well as woman’s father. A cost of Rs 1,000 shall be payable, jointly and severally, by the SP, Bhadohi and the SHO of concerned Suriyawan police station of the district, and Rs 5,000 be paid by the woman’s father to the woman,” the court said. Bhupendra Pandey is the Resident Editor of the Lucknow edition of The Indian Express. With decades of experience in the heart of Uttar Pradesh’s journalistic landscape, he oversees the bureau’s coverage of India’s most politically significant state. His expertise lies in navigating the complex intersections of state governance, legislative policy, and grassroots social movements. From tracking high-stakes assembly elections to analyzing administrative shifts in the Hindi heartland, Bhupendra’s reportage provides a definitive lens on the region's evolution. Authoritativeness He leads a team of seasoned reporters and investigators, ensuring that The Indian Express’ signature "Journalism of Courage" is reflected in every regional story. His leadership is central to the Lucknow bureau’s reputation for breaking stories that hold the powerful to account, making him a trusted figure for policy analysts, political scholars, and the general public seeking to understand the nuances of UP’s complex landscape. Trustworthiness & Accountability Under his stewardship, the Lucknow edition adheres to the strictest standards of factual verification and non-partisan reporting. He serves as a bridge between the local populace and the national discourse, ensuring that regional issues are elevated with accuracy and context. By prioritizing primary-source reporting and on-the-ground verification, he upholds the trust that readers have placed in the Express brand for nearly a century. ... Read MoreStay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram