Indian court acquits Omani, to fly back home after 5-year detention

Muscat: An Omani citizen is set to return home following five years detention in India after being acquitted of all charges against him.
Rashid Al Madssari travelled to India in 2014 to be married on the advice of friends. Shortly after the wedding, police raided the house and arrested him on charges of marrying a minor after it appeared that the girl’s family had falsified her age in official papers.
In an exclusive interview with Times of Oman, Al Madssari said, “On Monday, March 25, I attended the court session and the judge issued the acquittal.
“Thanks to God and everyone inside and outside Oman who helped and supported me until the end of this case”
Ambassador’s message
Sheikh Hamed Al Rawahi, the Omani Ambassador to India, told Times of Oman, “The case has been adjudicated and the accused acquitted. The remaining procedures required for the man to leave could take up to three weeks”
“Citizens should avoid the temptation of using marriage brokers in India, and they must follow the procedures that prevent them from falling foul of the law. Indian law introduced severe penalties for breaches of marriage law of up to ten years’ imprisonment ” the ambassador advised.
“Omani citizens must ensure, through official Indian authorities, that the women they wish to marry are over 18 years of age,” added the ambassador.
Oman’s Embassy in India also issued a statement online: “In the interest of the Omani government and under the guidance of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Embassy of the Sultanate of Oman in New Delhi followed the case of citizen Rashid Al Madassari and praise God, these efforts in cooperation with the Indian Ministry of External Affairs have culminated in the acquittal of the accused.”
Al Madssari’s eight children are anxious for their father’s return.
Salim Al Madssari one of his sons expressed his pleasure over the acquittal of his father to Times of Oman saying , “My mother and grandmother started crying when they heard the news, five years is a long time. We miss our father so much.”
Rashid’s son added: “My father did not marry a minor, and the papers were all legal as the girl was 21 years old.
“We did not know about the family’s forgery of the documents.”