Offences Relating to Marriage

There are several Offences Relating to Marriage which are described in the consecutive paragraphs of this article-

• Cohabitation caused by a person (man) dishonestly inducing a faith of lawful marriage: According to act 493, a person who by pretense causes any woman who is not legally married to him to consider that she is legally married to that person and to live together by having physical relationship with him, shall be punished. In that case, the punishment should be with imprisonment that may extend to ten year or with fine.
• Second marriage during the lifetime of first husband or wife: According to act 494, if a person, having a husband or wife living, engages with another relationship and marries, shall be punished. Here the punishment should be imprisonment that may extent up to seven years and shall also be punished with fine. But there are some exceptions in this section.
• Concealing of facts regarding former marriage: According to act 495, a person shall be punished if the person commits the offence of concealing facts. It will be considered as an offence if a person hides his previous marriage details from the person he is going to marry. It is a punishable crime and the person shall be punished with imprisonment that extend to ten years and also be punished with fine.
• If a marriage ritual deceptively gone through without a legal marriage: If a marriage ceremony is performed with a fraudulent intention, then it will be a punishable crime. The accused person shall be punished with imprisonment that can extend up to seven years or shall be liable to fine.
• Adultery: It falls under the act 497. If a man having sexual intercourse with a woman whom he knows or the wife of another person, without the consent of that woman, shall be punished. Though it will not be considered as the offence of rape, but it will be considered as the offence of adultery. In such case, the woman shall not be punished as an abettor but the accused person shall be punished with imprisonment or fine or both.
• Tempting or taking away with criminal intention a married woman: According to act 498, if a person takes away a woman who is the wife of any other man, with an intention to have sexual intercourse, shall be punished. It is a punishable act and the person shall be punished with imprisonment and fine.