Lucknow: In a series of tweets to Union ministers Sushma Swaraj, Rajnath Singh and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, a Ukrainian national lashed out at the Baghpat District Magistrate alleging him of “creating unnecessary hurdles” in registering her marriage, despite furnishing all the required documents.
Veronika Khliebova had come to India on June 4 to tie the knot with her Baghpat-based boyfriend Akshat Tyagi. During the marriage registration process, she was allegedly harassed by the DM who refused to accept an NOC granted by the Indian embassy.
In her first tweet, Veronika said, “Hello Sir, I need your help i am citizen of ukraine and i am in love with indian guy who is from district baghpat. we applied marriage in district megistrate office baghpat. we give all documents what they have asked (sic).”
In her second tweet, she alleged that Baghpat DM Mr Rishirendra Kumar had behaved rudely with the couple, even after providing a valid NOC and getting police verification done. In spite of the fact that it’s already been 35 days since the couple submitted their documents, the DM is unwilling to budge.
Speaking to News18, Veronika’s husband Akshat Tyagi said that the DM office had assured the couple that their marriage will be registered under the Special Marriage Act, but when the DM was approached, he allegedly told them, “Ukraine is a blacklisted country and hence the marriage is not possible”. After a heated argument, their marriage was registered and they were given a date for verification of documents.
When the couple went to his office on the given date with all the required documents, the DM said that the NOC is not acceptable. The staff also allegedly asked them to cough up Rs 2 lakh because she was a ‘foreign national’.
“You spent Rs 21,000 to ride a horse on your marriage so you must at least pay Rs 1 lakh,” the DM allegedly told Akshat.
The helpless couple then faxed a written complaint to External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, PM Modi and Home Minister Rajnath Singh.
However, DM Rishirendra Kumar has dismissed all the allegations levelled against him.
“I am upset by all the charges brought against me. The boy had applied for marriage registration with a Ukrainian girl in the court of ADM. So the charges against me and my staff are baseless. I had met the couple on July 2 and had processed their application and also started the process for online registration. I don’t know under what circumstances they are alleging such serious charges. These allegations have caused a dent on me personally and the entire administration,” Rishirendra told News18.
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