Sanjay-Manyata marriage cancelled, further issues

Sanjay-Manyata marriage cancelled, further issues




Even as Sanjay Dutt and his wife Manyata are seeking withdrawal of their marriage registration in Goa, the state authorities are probing how a senior officer accepted the annexed documents that were "full of flaws".

In a major lapse, the investigations into Sanjay Dutt and Manyata's documents have revealed that neither Dutt nor Manyata had filed their divorce decree which is mandatory before accepting the declaration of marriage under Portuguese laws in Goa before Sub-Registrar C Pissurlekar.

Dutt had attached a 'Rojnama' (court noting) from the court of Principal Judge, Family Court, Mumbai at Bandra which had sought to curtail the waiting period of six months before the marriage was declared legal. Sources said that Principal judge A V Nigude signed the Rojnama in Sanjay Dutt and Rhea Dutt divorce petition on February six, a day before Sanjay and Manyata filed their marriage declaration in Goa.

"It was an order to get divorce decree. The actual decree should have been attached by Dutt with the documents while filing declaration to get married to Manyata," state law department official said. District Registrar P S Borco, who is the investigating officer in the case, in his report to the law department, has said that the Rojnama submitted by Dutt does not carry signature of the judge and is not attested by the gazetted officer.

"In the present case (Dutt and Manyata), no judgement or order is filed and it is not known whether suit for divorce was complete in both the cases," according to the Borco's report. Borco has also held that the civil registrar should have refused to accept the declaration of marriage on the grounds that marital status of Manyata in affidavit and residence certificate are contradictory.

"Sub registar should have insisted for decree of divorce," he added. During investigations, it was found that Manyata in her residence certificate has termed her marital status as "unmarried" while affidavit shows her as a "divorcee". The law department officials confirming the receipt of report, said that they would initiate further action after consulting senior officials.