Sonia @ Shabnam & ORS v. The State (Govt Of NCT Of Delhi) & ORS

$~24 * IN THE HIGH COURT OF DELHI AT NEW DELHI + W.P.(CRL) 56/2016 & CRL.M.A. 364/2016 SONIA @ SHABNAM & ORS ..... Petitioners Through:

Mr Pradeep Tyagi, Advocate.

versus THE STATE (GOVT OF NCT OF DELHI) & ORS ..... Respondents Through:

Ms Srilina Roy, Advocate for Ms Nandita Rao, Addl. Standing Counsel (Crl.) with SI Manoj Tomar, PS- Seelampur.

CORAM:

HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE SIDDHARTH MRIDUL

O R D E R

% 11.01.2016 The present is a petition under Article 226 of the Constitution of India read with Section 482 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 praying for a direction to the police to afford adequate protection to the petitioners who are a newly-wed couple.

Sonia @ Shabnam and Shivam, the petitioners herein, profess different religions and have solemnized their marriage of their own free will and desire on 25.12.2015.

It is an admitted position that the petitioners are both adults. The apprehension in the minds of the petitioners stems from the circumstance that they professed different religions prior to their marriage which has resulted in their receiving grave threats from the close family of Sonia @ Shabnam. The family members of the Sonia @ Shabnam have visited the residential premises of Shivam and threatened the couple as well as Shivam's family with grave retribution and implication in false cases. As a consequence of the threats allegedly extended on behalf of the family of Sonia @ Shabnam, the newly-wed couple was forced to flee from their Seelampur residence in Delhi to Haridwar

in Uttarakhand. However, the newly-wed couple is desirous of returning to their matrimonial home and have expressed themselves in this behalf in court today. Notice. Ms Srilina Roy, learned counsel appearing on behalf of Ms Nandita Rao, learned Addl. Standing Counsel (Crl.), states that in the event the newly-wed couple returns to their Seelampur home, the police shall afford adequate protection to them in order to secure their lives and liberty. In view of the direction that is being issued in the present petition, I do not think it is either just or necessary to issue notice to respondent No.5, particularly in view of the circumstance that no order or direction is being issued against him.

In the circumstances afore-stated, the present writ petition is disposed of with the direction to the SHO, Police Station- Seelampur to provide adequate protection to the petitioners. The beat constable of the concerned area shall be sensitized in this behalf and the telephone numbers of the concerned SHO as well as the beat constable shall be provided to the petitioners so as to enable the latter to contact them in the event of any threat or apprehension. A copy of this order be given dasti under signature of Court Master to counsel for the parties.

SIDDHARTH MRIDUL, J JANUARY 11, 2016 ` mk