HC asks Prayagraj SSP to investigate president of Arya Samaj Kydganj

The Allahabad High Court has directed the Prayagraj senior superintendent of police to get an investigation conducted into the functioning of Santosh Kumar Shastri, president of Arya Samaj Kydganj, who issued marriage certificates to couples who married against the wishes of their parents.

The inquiry would be conducted to ascertain whether the marriages in fact were being performed or it is just issuing empty certificates.

Justices Ashwani Kumar Mishra and Rajnish Kumar passed the order in a petition filed by Kapil Kumar.

The bench also directed Shastri to produce registers of marriages which have been solemnised by him over the last five years.

''The possibility of an organised racket working for extraneous reasons cannot be ruled out,'' it said.

The bench fixed August 8 as the next date of hearing in the case.