A division judge bench of Justice Vipin Sanghi and Rajnish Bhatnagar of the Delhi High Court today allowed an adult Hindu girl, who had eloped from her home with her Muslim boyfriend, to return home - while granting her protection and on the condition that her parents would take full responsibility of her education.
The girl, who is a BTech student claimed that she is a UPSC aspirant, and she had not received due support from her parents to pursue her ambition. She had eloped from her home due to the lack of such support. In the hearing before the Court today, after interacting with the girl privately, she was also made to interact on the Court's platform with her parents.
After the private interaction, the court said that the girl had left from her home of her own accord due to a non-conducive environment for studying, she didn't wish to return there for the same reason.
However, the girl changed her mind after her interaction with her parents in the court's presence, and said that she was ready to return provided they would support her education her.
Her parents assured the Court that they would not scold or taunt her for whatever has transpired. They have also ensured that they will not force her to marry any other person whom she would not like to marry otherwise
The court was hearing a habeas corpus petition, and in a previous hearing had directed the Anti-Human Trafficking Unit (AHTU) of Delhi Police's Crime Branch to trace the girl. The court had also expressed shock that no FIR had been registered in the case despite a complaint by the parents about their daughter having gone missing.
As per the father's allegation, one Syed Mustafa, a laborer had removed his daughter, an engineer, from their residence and on the same day took her to Kolkata by train. He suspected that it had been carried out in the manner of an organized crime.
However, the girl denied this story and said that she had gone with the said Mustafa of her own free volition, having been disturbed by constant bickerings at her house. The state confirmed this stand and added that a Nikaahnama had also been produced, though the same could not be verified till date.
The police had submitted that they had received a nikaahnama of the couple sent by post. The court had then expressed shock at the police's failure to register an FIR on the bald statement of an unverified marriage, and directed for the girl to be traced and kept in a Nari Niketan for 4 days before being produced before it for verification of statements alleged to have been voluntarily made by her.
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