Ms. Nisha & ORS. v. State & ORS.

$~47 * IN THE HIGH COURT OF DELHI AT NEW DELHI + W.P.(CRL) 3615/2018 MS. NISHA & ORS.

..... Petitioners Through:

Mr. Mir Akhtar Hussain, Advocate.

Versus

STATE & ORS.

..... Respondents Through:

Mr. Rajesh Mahajan, Additional Standing Counsel for State with W/SI Tulika, P.S.

Keshav Puram.

CORAM:

HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE NAJMI WAZIRI

O R D E R

% 28.11.2018 At the outset, the learned counsel for the petitioners states upon instructions that all the petitioners have attained the age of majority and that the association between petitioner No. 1 and petitioner No.2 is voluntary and has the blessings of their respective parents. Issue notice.

Mr. Mahajan, the learned Additional Standing Counsel accepts notice on behalf of the State.

The petitioners claim protection from respondents No. 5 to 12 apropos threat of kidnapping, criminal intimidation and demand/extortion of Rs.25 lacs from petitioners. Petitioner No.4 is stated to have been threatened by the said respondents; in particular, a relative of the petitioners, namely, Mr. Johney was threatened on 18.11.2018. He was directed to bring petitioners No. 1 and 2 in a public gathering before a Samaj; the aforesaid private respondents claim to be the custodians of the social dignity of that social group. The learned counsel for the petitioners' submits that the petitioners' request to the police for taking action against the said respondents and for

providing due protection and assurance of the safety of the petitioners has yielded no results.

Mr. Mahajan, the learned counsel for the State, assures the Court that the matter will be looked into in right earnest and due protection shall be provided to the petitioners according to threats, as may be assessed. He further submits that the police will impress upon respondents No. 5 to 12 of the imperative to maintain peace.

Additionally, the petitioners shall be provided with telephone numbers of three police officers from the jurisdiction of the concerned Police Station of which one shall be of a 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 petitioner. The learned counsel for the State further submits 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. 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.

No further orders are required at this stage. The petition stands disposed-off accordingly. A copy of this order be given dasti to the learned counsel for the parties under the signature of the Court Master. NOVEMBER 28, 2018/sb NAJMI WAZIRI, J.