Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION
In a recent heart-wrenching incident case in Delhi Aftab-Shraddha Murder case wracked our brains and shocked us. Police arrested Aftab Poonawala for allegedly murdering his live-in girlfriend Shraddha and then dissecting her body and disposing of them over a period of 18 days across forest areas in Delhi.
According to sources, Aftab and Shraddha met on the dating app, Bumble. They decided to be in a live-in relationship after Shraddha’s parents conveyed their disagreement about an inter-faith relationship. On May 18, the day Aftab allegedly murdered Shraddha, the couple apparently got into an argument with each other over household expenses. The fight is said to have escalated to Aftab strangling Shraddha to the death between 8 and 10 pm that night.
Aftab allegedly kept Shraddha’s body in his house overnight and went the next day to buy a knife and a fridge. According to his statement to the Police, Aftab dismembered Shraddha’s body in 35 pieces, stored them in the newly bought fridge, and disposed of them over a period of 18 days in the forest areas of Mehrauli.
IS LIVE IN A RELATIONSHIP RESPONSIBLE.?
Union minister blames live-in relationships for rising crime
The live-in relationship is being seen with a bad eye in society. The world may have become modern, but the live-in relationship is still considered wrong in society.
Union Minister Kaushal Kishore said live-in relationships are “giving rise to crime” and suggested that educated girls should not get into such relationships, a remark that comes against the backdrop of the gruesome Mehrauli killing.
The Minister also said “What is this live-in relationship, this is giving rise to crime and it is a wrong thing and people are facing its consequences,”
In India, the legality of live-in relationships is quite gagged. Although live-in a relationship is neither a crime nor a sin, it is disapproved of in Indian culture to some degree. In a nation like India, where weddings are seen as a societal foundation for legalizing a man-woman connection, the notion of a live-in relationship has added a new dimension to the man-woman relationship.
What is a live-in relationship?
The term ‘live-in relationship’ is difficult to define, it refers to domestic cohabitation between two unmarried people. Live-in relationships are becoming increasingly prevalent among couples. However, it might be argued that the incidence is higher in metropolitan areas and tier-1 cities, particularly among upwardly mobile young people. Often, couples would enter into live-in relationships to test their compatibility before agreeing to marry. It allows them to better comprehend each other and make well-informed decisions on serious commitments like marriage.
Live-in relationships allow separation without the intervention of the state, which is especially important in countries like India, where divorce is frowned upon and stereotyped.
As a result, couples living together before marriage are frequently regarded as culturally improper, unethical, and repugnant to societal standards. As a result, while some have publicly accepted the notion of live-in relationships, it nevertheless faces social resistance based on traditional attitudes.
In today’s era, before marriage, a boy and a girl can voluntarily live under the same roof as husband and wife. Many laws have also been made for this. Some rules and regulations apply to loving couples living in a live-in relationship
Main issues with live-in relationships
There are several issues regarding live-in relationships. These are as follows:
- Is Indian culture ready to embrace such a new type of relationship?
- What are the consequences of adopting or refusing such relationships for the continuation and advancement of society?
- Should new legislation be enacted in India to govern such relationships?
- What are the implications of legalizing such a relationship for married couples?
- Should current rules governing maintenance, guardianship, succession, and inheritance be changed to accommodate such relationships?
- What role does the Indian judiciary play in the development of such relationships?
So far, the Indian judiciary has been the most constant in recognizing such relationships. However, in terms of protecting women’s claims in such relationships, the Indian judiciary stands ready to provide justice to the most vulnerable members of society.
Couples living in a ‘live-in relationship’ should know these 5 things –
- If couples are living together in a ‘live-in relationship’ with each other, eating together or sleeping together, then they will be considered married.
- Two people living in a ‘live-in relationship’ are considered married according to the law.
- If couples living in a ‘live-in relationship’ cheat on their other partner then it is considered a punishable offence.
- In such a situation, if the victim wishes, he can file a case against his partner under section 497 of the IPC and get him punished.
- Apart from this, under the Hindu Marriage Act, a child born out of a live-in relationship gets all the legal rights that a child of a married couple gets. In such a situation, like a married couple, the entire responsibility of taking care of that child will be on that couple.
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