PATNA: Police on Sunday arrested a 40-year-old man for marrying a minor girl and keeping her in his house as a second wife after the girl's mother allegedly failed to repay a loan to the tune of Rs 2 lakh.
The accused Mahendra Pandey, a resident of Laxmipur village under Mairwa police station in Siwan district, has been booked under the relevant section of the Child Marriage Act and Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012.
The girl's parents had reportedly taken Rs 2 lakh as a loan from Pandey. The family was unable to repay the loan.
“The family succumbed to Pandey's pressure and sent the girl with him in lieu of loan,” local residents said.
Pandey was produced before the chief judicial magistrate, who remanded him in judicial custody for 14 days.
The victim has been sent for medical examination as she was staying with Pandey for the last three months.
Station house officer (SHO) of Mairwa police station Ujjawal Kumar said the statement of the girl would be recorded under section 164 of CrPC.
“We have sent the girl to sadar hospital hospital in Siwan for medical examination,” he told The New Indian Express over phone.
Police acted after the girl's mother lodged a complaint. According to the complaint, accused Pandey had persuaded the family to keep the class VI student with him on the pretext of facilitating her studies but secretly married her.
A video about child marriage had gone viral on social media.
The victim's father is a daily wage earner. The couple have four children—two daughters and two sons.
The accused is stated to be a distant relative of the victim's family.
The girl's parents had reportedly taken Rs.2 lakh as a loan from Pandey. The family was unable to repay the loan. “The family succumbed to Pandey's pressure and sent the girl with him in lieu of loan,” local residents said.
During interrogation, Pandey confessed to the crime and said that he was ready to face legal action for the offence.
