Police in east India are investigating a lesbian couple after one of their fathers went to police, according to local media.

Sabitri Parida and Monalisa Nayak registered their relationship with a Kendrapara court on Saturday (12 January).

But, on Monday, Nayak’s father filed a report with police objecting to the nuptials. He accused Parida of using black magic against her girlfriend, Odisha TV reported.

‘The girl will be interrogated to ascertain whether she has been forced to maintain a relationship with the other girl or it was her own choice,’ said an inspector of Pattamundai Police Station, according to the online report.

Advocate Asutosh Mohanty conducted the women’s agreement on Saturday. He said it was legal as India’s Supreme Court had decriminalized gay sex last year, according to Odisha TV.

Local media reported it was the first same-sex ‘marriage’ in the area. The pair have known each other for four years.

‘We wanted to prove to the society that there was nothing wrong in living with a partner of the same sex’ the two women reportedly said.

Section 377

In September last year, India’s Supreme Court ruled that the country’s gay sex ban was unconstitutional. The justices said it infringed the right to privacy.

Section 377 of India’s colonial-era Penal Code punished gay sex with up to ten years in prison.

But, India still does not recognize equal marriage.

Many same-sex couples, however, register an affidavit with local authorities stating they are in a relationship. These have limited legal weight.

‘As of now, queer marriages have no legal standing per se’ explained LGBTI activist and columnist Harish Iyer.

He said, however, registering same-sex relationships cannot lead to prosecutions or penalties by authorities.

‘No law stops adult human beings from legally stating that they are living with each other and it is consensual’ he said.

’They can call their union “marriage”’.

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