Raising serious concerns over the misuse of Arya Samaj institutions to conduct unlawful marriages, the Allahabad High Court has directed the Uttar Pradesh Home Department to investigate their functioning—particularly in cases involving underage girls and violations of religious conversion laws.

The Court was hearing a petition filed by a man seeking to quash criminal proceedings against him under Sections 363, 366, 376 of the IPC and Sections 3 and 4 of the POCSO Act. He claimed that he had married the girl in question at an Arya Samaj temple in February 2020, and that she began living with him only after she turned 18.

But the Court was not convinced. Justice Prashant Kumar, who heard the matter, noted that the girl was a minor at the time of the alleged marriage, and there was no evidence of legal conversion or registration under the Uttar Pradesh Marriage Registration Rules, 2017. The judge made it clear that such a marriage has no legal validity—especially in cases where the individuals are from different faiths and the requirements for conversion and registration are not met.

The Court also referred to a previous order in Shanidev and Another v. State of U.P., where a coordinate bench had raised concerns about Arya Samaj temples allegedly solemnizing marriages without proper verification, often with questionable intent.

Calling for a deeper probe, the Court directed that the investigation be carried out by a senior officer—at least of the rank of Deputy Commissioner of Police. The Home Department Secretary has been asked to submit a detailed compliance report in the form of a personal affidavit by August 29, 2025.

Finding no merit in the accused’s plea, the Court dismissed the petition.