Recently, a 48-year-old grandfather from Gujarat received a dramatic twist in his life when he was arrested for abducting his wife 27 years ago. This case has received much attention; it raises questions about the relationship between love, law, and time.
The man left with his girlfriend in August 1997 against the wishes of his girlfriend’s family. Her parents then reported a kidnapping case under sections 363 and 364 of the Indian Penal Code. But the couple decided to start a family and have four daughters and now two grandchildren, thus, it seems, forgetting about the past.
The case came to light again when the police in Mehsana received information about a man who looked like the alleged kidnapper was hiding in that area. Cops went to his house only to discover that the woman was living with him as his wife happily. One of the police officers from Mehsana, Narendrasinh Sodha, said, “We had to arrest the man even though his wife testified they had been living happily.” She used their daughters and grandchildren as proof of their legitimacy as a couple.
The situation took a further twist when it was revealed that the woman's father had passed away years ago, and her brother no longer remembered the case. The man detained on October 2 was released on bail only several days later, with an officer stating that the problem was that the family did not inform the authorities about their reunion.
This rather peculiar case gets to show how even legal issues may start settling only after personal concerns have been altered. The story of the couple is quite valuable as it emphasises the themes of love despite legal issues. In the same way, they posed questions as to how such old charges can be brought up and influence families years after they are a couple.
