Law overtakes love: 27 years later, man is arrested for ‘kidnapping’ woman | India News – Times of India

AHMEDABAD: ‘Happily ever after’ stories are all about leaving trials and tribulations behind. So imagine the disbelief on the face of a 48-year-old grandfather of two when police landed at his door about a week ago to arrest him for ‘kidnapping’ his wife of 27 years – the one whose he kept whom he had eloped with, and built a house with four daughters.
Turns out his wife’s parents filed a case against him after their daughter eloped against her family’s wishes with the man she wanted to spend her life with.
That was in August 1997. The indictment of kidnapping under sections 363 and 364 erstwhile Indian Penal Code continued to the then 21-year-old resident of Rajasthan’s Ajmer, unbeknownst to the couple who were enjoying newlywed bliss in a village in Gujarat.
Woman says we are happy marriedPolice say they need to arrest the man
Mehsana Police recently received information that a man who appeared to be a fugitive “kidnapper” against whom a case had been filed nearly thirty years ago was now living in that area and making a living as auto rickshaw operator.
Narendrasinh Sodha of Mehsana police said officers landed at the man’s door but found the woman he allegedly kidnapped along with him as his wife.
“We had no choice but to arrest the man even though his wife said they were happily married. She paraded their four daughters and two grandchildren as evidence and said there was no more animosity with her family,” Sodha said.
The woman’s father passed away several years ago, while her brother doesn’t even remember a case being filed. Days after the October 2 arrest, a court released the autorickshaw driver on bail. An officer blamed the confusion on the family’s inability to inform police of their “reconciliation over the years.”