Probe ordered into young couple’s age

Justice S Vaidyanathan, while dismissing the anticipatory bail moved by the boy fearing arrest by the Gudiyatham police based on a complaint by the girl’s father, said, “As regards proof of birth date, the birth certificate prevails over other documents and this court has to necessarily take into consideration the birth certificate of the girl issued under Registration of Birth and Death Act and Tamil Nadu Birth and Death Registration Rules 2000, as per which, the said girl is still a minor.” 

However, the judge on noting that the girl’s father had obtained the birth certificate only on August 12, 2016, directed him to furnish details pertaining to his date of marriage, number of children, their birth certificates and the date of birth furnished to the school by obtaining a certified copy of the same from the school. 

Instructing the Gudiyatham Taluk police to file a status report on or before September 30, the judge also directed the police to provide protection to the couple as they belong to different communities and if they are left in lurch, there is every possibility of yet another ‘honour killing’.