Smt Ritu Singh & ANR v. State (Govt Of NCT Of Delhi) & ORS

$~66 * IN THE HIGH COURT OF DELHI AT NEW DELHI + W.P.(CRL) 2590/2018 SMT RITU SINGH & ANR ..... Petitioners Through:

Ms.Puja Gulshan Kumar, Adv,

Versus

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

Mr.Rahul Mehra, Standing Counsel with Mr.Jamal Akhtar, Adv.

SI Pankaj Thakran, PS Burari.

CORAM:

HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE NAJMI WAZIRI

O R D E R

% 31.08.2018 Issue notice.

Mr.Rahul Mehra, the learned counsel for the State accepts notice. The petitioners are legal adults and have married each other of their free volition. They have filed photocopies of their Cards issued by the Unique Identification Authority of India, as proof of their age, showing that they are 24 and 25 years old respectively; a copy of their marriage certificate is also attached. They fear for their life, limb and liberty from respondents No. 4 and 5, who are parents of petitioner No.1 because the marriage is not with their concurrence and the latter are inimical to the petitioners. In the circumstances, the petitioners shall be provided due protection by the Station House Officer (SHO) of the area of their residence in Delhi. They will be interacted with and will be provided three telephone numbers of police officers including one of the lady police officer. These numbers shall be kept operational at all times so that any exigency can be intimated

on either of the numbers by the petitioners. The Court is assured by the learned counsel for the State that any message received on the said numbers or on any other telephone number of the police either by way of a telephone call or SMS shall be immediately responded to. The address of the petitioners shall not be disclosed to anybody by the police. Additionally, the Beat Constable/Division Staff of the area shall regularly visit the residence of the petitioners on a daily basis and report the same in the Roznamcha. The safety and security of the petitioners shall be assessed by the SHO on a weekly basis with due endorsement of the same in the Roznamcha. The Beat Constable shall record entries in his Beat Book.

The learned counsel for the State assures the Court that the matter has been looked into by the SHO of the area concerned and the respondents will be duly sensitized the said respondents about the petitioners' right to choose a life partner; to marry as per their free volition; to live a life according to their choice and nobody has a right to interfere in the same. Should the petitioners shift their address to the jurisdiction of any other Police Station in Delhi, the same protection shall be granted to them by the SHO of the subsequent Police Station as well. No further orders are required.

The petition stands disposed-off in terms of the above. A copy of this order be given dasti.

NAJMI WAZIRI, J.

AUGUST 31, 2018 neelam