B.C. court annuls woman's non-consensual 'cult' marriage

A British Columbia judge has annulled the marriage of a woman to a man from an Indian religious group, stating she did not truly consent to the wedding in 2023. The ruling was made this week and highlights the pressures the woman faced. The woman, Arshnoor Kaur Jaura, claimed she was manipulated by the man, Napinder Singh Jaura, and his family. They contacted her in October 2022, even though she did not want to marry him. The family persisted with their advances, including bringing her food gifts to her workplace. The court found that the man and his family claimed their union was blessed by a priest. They allegedly warned her that refusing the marriage could anger their religious community. Justice Ian Caldwell ruled that the woman's consent was not genuine due to harassment and pressure from the man. Kaur Jaura, who was 18 when they married, agreed to the wedding on April 25, 2023, but was overwhelmed at the time. The ceremony took place the following day without her family, and she returned the wedding ring shortly afterward. The marriage was never finalized, and Kaur Jaura did not live with Singh Jaura after the ceremony. The judge emphasized the distress young people can face in such situations, noting severe consequences for others in similar circumstances. The religious group involved is led by a controversial figure, Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh Ji Insaan, who is serving a life sentence in India for serious crimes.