Mumbai: A woman from Prayagraj, currently employed at a multinational company in Mumbai’s Goregaon area, has alleged that her estranged husband solemnised a second marriage at the luxury Taj Lands End on Wednesday despite their matrimonial dispute still being actively pending before the Family Court in Kanpur Nagar and no final divorce decree having been issued.
Garima Mishra, daughter of Mahendra Kumar Mishra of Alopibagh, Prayagraj, and presently working in a managerial role at Lotus Corporate Park in Goregaon (East), submitted a written complaint to the Senior Police Inspector of Bandra West Police Station on May 6 alleging that her husband, Sourabh Awasthi of Rajendra Nagar, Kanpur Nagar, contracted marriage with Prachi Tripathi on May 7, 2026, at Taj Lands’ End Hotel in Bandra West.
According to the complaint, Garima and Sourabh were married on December 13, 2021. She alleged that after marriage, she was subjected to persistent mental and physical harassment by her husband and his family members, eventually forcing her to leave the matrimonial home after repeated attempts at settlement failed.
Garima further alleged that Sourabh Awasthi subsequently obtained an ex-parte order from the Family Court in Kanpur Nagar on March 11, 2026, in the pending divorce proceedings without properly informing her or serving notice. She maintains that no final decree of divorce has yet been passed by the court and that the marriage legally continues to subsist.
Upon learning about the ex-parte proceedings, Garima approached the Family Court seeking recall of the order. According to documents cited in the complaint, the court has directed the opposite party to appear personally, indicating that the proceedings remain active and legally unresolved.
Garima stated that she later received information from sources that Sourabh Awasthi, along with Prachi Tripathi, was planning to solemnise marriage at Taj Lands’ End despite the pending matrimonial litigation and absence of a final decree dissolving the earlier marriage.
Legal experts familiar with matrimonial law noted that under Section 5 of the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955, a Hindu marriage is valid only if neither party has a living spouse at the time of marriage. Any marriage solemnised in violation of this condition may be treated as void under Section 11 of the Act.
They further pointed out that Section 17 of the Hindu Marriage Act read with Section 82 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 deals with the offence of bigamy, while Section 83 relates to concealment of an existing marriage from a subsequent spouse.
Despite submitting documentary material before the Bandra West police — including court-related papers and identity documents — Garima alleged that police authorities declined to register an FIR and instead issued only a notice to the concerned parties.
In her complaint, Garima had urged the police to immediately intervene to prevent the alleged remarriage and initiate appropriate legal proceedings against Sourabh Awasthi and his family members. She stated that failure to act would cause her severe mental and financial distress.
The case has now highlighted concerns among women’s rights advocates and legal observers regarding alleged misuse of ex-parte matrimonial proceedings and the difficulties faced by complainants in securing prompt police action in cases involving alleged bigamy.
Sources close to the matter indicated that Garima Mishra’s legal team is now considering approaching the Bombay High Court as well as senior Maharashtra police authorities seeking registration of an FIR under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
