Allahabad HC Orders Police Protection To BJP MLA's Daughter Who Married Outside Caste

The Allahabad High Court on Monday ordered to grant police protection to Sakshi Mishra, daughter of BJP MLA Rajesh Mishra, and Ajitesh Kumar, her lover who she claimed to have married on July 4.

Sakshi and Ajitesh had approached the High Court stating they they were facing threats from Barelilly MLA Rajesh Mishra for marrying outside caste against his wishes. Sakshi is a Brahmin and Ajitesh a Dalit by caste.

The couple had prayed that police or Mishra should not disturb them in their peaceful living as they were adult and had got marriage in free will. Last week, a video went viral on social media in which Sakshi claimed that her father was threatening them of dire consequences since he was not happy with her choice of partner.

 The Court noted that the petitioners were of marriageable age and had no criminal records against them and ordered : 

"it is being directed that the Police Authorities of the State of U.P. shall ensure that the respondents shall not interfere in the married lives of the petitioners. The Police shall also ensure that the petitioners are adequately protected.

It is further informed that the counsel of the petitioners and the parents of the petitioners were also being threatened with dire consequences.

Under such circumstances, the Police to see that the counsel for the petitioners and also the family members of the petitioners are not brought to any harm in any manner whatsoever", said Justice Siddhartha Verma in the order. 

The judge referred to the Supreme Court judgments in Bhagwan Dass v. State (NCT of Delhi), (2011)  and Nandakumar and another vs. State of Kerala and others (2018) which have held that caste groups cannot interfere with an adult's choice of life partner.

While ordering protection, the Court also directed them to get their marriage registered under the U.P. Marriage Registration Rule 2017 within a period of two months from today.

"The marriage shall be registered only if they are entitled to marry. In the event the marriage is not registered within the aforementioned period, this order shall automatically stand vacated", added the Court. 

They were reportedly attacked outside the court complex as soon as they stepped out after the hearing. They were allegedly assaulted by some unidentified persons on Monday morning when the couple went to Allahabad High Court seeking protection. The police, however, said there was a scuffle between two groups of lawyers in the court premises and no one was beaten up, reported the Indian Express.