According to Jhajjar police sources, extensive security arrangements were made across the transit corridor and the wedding venue to prevent any untoward incident. (Express photo)Dressed in an embroidered cream sherwani and a crimson turban, Mainpal alias Dhila, 45, sat beside his Cambodian bride, Meta Chan, 36. She wore a traditional red bridal lehenga.Between them lay envelopes stuffed with currency notes. And directly behind the groom’s chair stood an armed security personnel in an olive-green tactical ballistic vest, an automatic weapon slung across his chest.Dhila, a convicted gangster, married his partner on Thursday under armed watch.The Punjab and Haryana High Court had granted him 12 hours of custody parole to solemnise his marriage, allowing him to leave Jhajjar jail from 8 am to 8 pm. He was taken to a farmhouse on the Jhajjar-Gurugram road, about 1.5 km from the jail, under armed escort.There, he exchanged garlands with Meta Chan in accordance with Hindu traditions in front of family members and nearly 500 guests, while around 100 police personnel kept watch.A wedding under armed watchThe security operation began before Dhila reached the venue.According to Jhajjar police sources, extensive security arrangements were made across the transit corridor and the wedding venue to prevent any untoward incident.Around 100 police personnel were mobilised for the security detail.Story continues below this adArmed escort teams from specialised crime units accompanied the gangster along the transit route, while personnel from Sadar Jhajjar police station, including armed and women police personnel, secured the farmhouse and its entrance, police sources said. Jhajjar police sources noted that Meta Chan arrived in India earlier this month, with three of their children, for the wedding ceremony. (Express photo)Police sources added that guest identities and contact details were recorded at the entrance, and media access inside the venue was restricted on security grounds.The elaborate security was in line with the High Court’s order granting Dhila a tightly controlled window outside jail.Dhila, who is serving a life sentence, had approached the High Court seeking one-day custody parole to solemnise his marriage.Story continues below this adPassing the order on September 21, Justice Jasjit Singh Bedi declined to grant standard parole in view of the criminal cases against him but permitted a strictly monitored 12-hour custody window.“Looking at the allegations levelled against the petitioner, I do not deem it appropriate to grant parole to the petitioner,” Justice Bedi observed in the order.“However, considering the fact that the petitioner is scheduled to solemnise his marriage on 24.09.2026, the Jail Superintendent concerned is directed to send the petitioner/Mainpal @ Dhila S/o Bhagwan Singh in custody to the venue of the marriage ceremony from 8 am to 8 pm on 24.09.2026. The expenses incurred for the aforesaid purpose shall be borne by the petitioner,” the high court directed.How he met his wifeDhila was awarded a life term in April 2013 in connection with a 2007 case registered in Bahadurgarh.Story continues below this adIn July 2018, he was granted six weeks of regular parole from Hisar Central Jail but jumped parole and fled the country using forged identity documents, according to Jhajjar police records.He settled in Siem Reap, Cambodia, where he operated hospitality and restaurant businesses. It was during his stay there that he met Meta Chan; the couple lived together for several years and had children.Dhila’s run ended after Haryana Police and central agencies moved Interpol, leading to a Red Notice in November 2024.He was apprehended by Cambodian authorities in July 2025 and extradited to India in September 2025 by a Haryana Special Task Force (STF) team, remaining behind bars since.Story continues below this adJhajjar police sources noted that Meta Chan arrived in India earlier this month, with three of their children, for the wedding ceremony.Following the completion of the rituals and a daytime gathering with guests on Thursday, Dhila was taken back into custody by the armed escort and lodged in Jhajjar jail by 8 pm, fulfilling the High Court’s timeline.Police said Dhila, a resident of Badli village in Jhajjar district, has around 22 criminal cases registered against him over the years, including charges of murder, attempt to murder, robbery, dacoity, criminal conspiracy, and violations under the Arms Act. He has been convicted in two other cases.Abhimanyu Hazarika is a Senior Correspondent with The Indian Express, based in Gurgaon. He covers southern Haryana. Education - Post-Graduate Diploma in Print Media, Asian College of Journalism (Class of 2020) - B.A. (Hons) Liberal Arts with a major in Political Science, Symbiosis School for Liberal Arts (Class of 2019) Professional Experience Before joining The Indian Express, he worked with Bar & Bench (legal journalism) and Frontline magazine, where he developed experience in court reporting, legal analysis, and long-form investigative features. Reporting Interests His work centres on civic accountability, environmental policy, urban infrastructure and culture, crime and law enforcement, and their intersections with politics and governance in and around Gurgaon. Recent Coverage (2025) - Crime: Reported on the recovery of 350 kg of explosives and an AK-47 from a rented house in Faridabad, linked to the 2025 Red Fort car explosion case (November 11, 2025). - Environmental policy: Covered protests outside a Haryana minister’s residence against a Supreme Court order that environmentalists argue could allow mining and real estate development on large parts of the Aravalli hills (December 21, 2025). - Pollution control measures: Co-authored coverage of the Rekha Gupta government’s enforcement of vehicle restrictions at Delhi-NCR borders (December 21, 2025). - Road safety and infrastructure: Examined response lapses in the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway hit-and-run case and ongoing investigations into high-speed road crimes in Gurugram. - Animal welfare policy: Reported on concerns regarding the low budget allocated for stray dog sterilization by the Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (November 30, 2025). - Urban culture: Featured the social media-driven popularity of a new Magnolia Bakery outlet in Gurugram (December 15, 2025). 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