( 1 ) THIS appeal is result of an unusual situation in the sense that while respondent wife, Meena Kumari, sought divorce from the respondent Man mohan Vaid on the ground of cruelty and desertion under Sections 13 (1) (i-a) and (i-b) of the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955 (hereinafter called the Act for short), and divorce decree was granted in her favour the appellant Man Mohan Vaid seeks a declaration to the effect that no valid marriage has ever taken place, and as such question of divorce would not arise. Man Mohan vaid appellant by this appeal intends to seek relief in criminal appeal.

( 2 ) ACCORDING to Smt. Meena Kumari, she was married to Shri Man Mohan vaid, the respondent, according to Hindu-Sikh rites and ceremonies at Gurudwara singh Sabha, Shankar Vihar, Vikas Marg, Delhi, on 25. 11. 1990. It was an outcome of a prolonged love affair for both awaited approval of their respective parents. But ultimately they married against the wishes of their parents, but with the approval of other elders. After marriage the parties lived at the house of maternal uncle of man Mohan Vaid. Shri Jai Kishan. Everything went smoothly for a month. But after a month Manmohan Vaid