L. Narasimha Reddy, J.

The petitioner in O.P.No.247 of 2002 on the file of the Family Court, Hyderabad filed this appeal, feeling aggrieved by the order, dated 27.05.2004.

The appellant married the respondent on 05.04.2001 at Balaji Bhawan (Temple), Himayathnagar, Hyderabad. According to him, he became acquainted with the respondent in the course of train journey and that acquaintance developed into a close relation and thereafter, to marriage. On 06.04.2001, the marriage was registered.

The appellant filed the O.P. under Section 12 (i) (c) of the Hindu Marriage Act with a prayer to declare the marriage between himself and the respondent as null and void abinitio. He pleaded that by the time their marriage took place, there was a subsisting marriage between the respondent on the one hand, and one Sri Y.Ramana Murthy on the other. He stated that shortly after his marriage with the respondent, he came to know about her marriage with Ramana Murthy and has immediately filed the O.P. He further pleaded that though the respondent stated that her marriage with Ramana Murthy was dissolved according to the customs prevailing in their community, the same cannot be accepted in la