SASARAM: A Sasaram court on Thursday allowed an incarcerated tutor to marry his student, with whom he had eloped five years ago. The court also granted bail to the tutor, who has been languishing in Sasaram jail since 2018 and gave custody of the student, who has also been in remand home since March 2019, to the tutor's elder brother for their marriage under the Special Marriage Act, 1954.
According to sources, an FIR was lodged by the girl's father with Baddi police station against the coaching institute tutor, Awanit Kumar Ram, on November 15, 2017, alleging that his minor daughter, then a student of class VIII, was kidnapped by Awanit.
The tutor and student surrendered in the court on March 19, 2018. In her statement under Section 164 of CrPC, the girl claimed that she had already married the tutor in a temple and wanted to live with him. However, the medical report showed she was a minor. The court sent the girl to a remand home and Awanit to district jail. The bail petition of the tutor was rejected by a special court set up under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Pocso) Act.
Four years later, families of the both agreed for their marriage as the girl attained the age of 18 years.
Additional district judge and special judge for Pocso court, Ashutosh Kumar, sought medical report to ascertain the girl's age. The medical board confirmed on February 2 this year the girl was nearing 19 years. On Thursday, the court, while granting bail to the tutor, directed that the girl's custody be given to the teacher's brother for the marriage under Special Marriage Act as they come from different castes.
