CHENNAI: An order of the Principal Family Court in Chennai dissolving the marriage of actor T Prashanth with V D Grahalakshmi was upheld by the Madras High Court on Monday.“Suppression of Grahalakshmi’s alleged earlier marriage with one Narayanan Venu Prasad amounted to fraud. The Family Court is right in holding the marriage (between Prashanth and Grahalakshmi) as null and void and we have no reason to interfere with,’’ a division bench comprising Justice K Mohan Ram and Justice GM Akbar Ali said, dismissing an appeal from Grahalakshmi, on Monday.Prashanth married Grahalakshmi on September 1, 2005. A child was born to them on July 31, 2006. As the relationship between the couple soured, Prash-anth filed a petition seeking restitution of his conjugal rights. While so, he was informed on June 11, 2007, that Grahalakshmi had earlier married Prasad on November 30, 1998 and it was registered with the Registrar of Marriages on December 30, 1998. Contending that this fact was never disclosed to him, Prashanth filed a petition to dissolve his marriage. The Family Court annulled the marriage on April 30, 2009. Aggrieved, Grahalakshmi preferred the present appeal. She denied the allegation of her earlier marriage. The burden was heavily upon Prashanth to prove the allegation, which he had miserably failed, she contended.Rejecting the submissions, the bench observed registration of a marriage, whether it was proved independently or not, was a material fact because the marriage register was a public document intended for purpose to enter such particulars relating to the marriage and the statements therein were admissible in evidence. The suppression of the marriage was a material fact amounting to fraud, which came under Sec 12(1)(c) of the Hindu Marriage Act and thereby rendered union (between Prashanth and Grahalakshmi) voidable. “...The proviso under Sec 12(1)(c) is attracted and the competent court is empowered to annul the marriage,’’ the bench said.
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