Lodge inter-faith couple in safehouse, High Court tells Authorities

On Friday, the Punjab & Haryana High Court ordered Haryana Govt. authorities to lodge an inter-faith couple at a safehouse in Panchkula after the woman alleged that Hindu groups were threatening her & her husband.

The 19-year-old woman was on Friday brought before a single bench of Justice Tejinder Singh Dhindsa after the court directed police to do so.

The woman said her DoB is Aug 19, 1999, when asked by the court. This was confirmed by her father and Police, who was in court.

She had married her Muslim friend out of her “own will & accord & wishes to reside with him," the woman said.

She added, her parents opposed the marriage.

After being in a relationship for the past two years they married earlier this month, her petition said.

The woman said she fears for the life & liberty of her & her husband.

Directing the Govt. to file a response before September 19, the court directed that the couple be kept at a protection home in Panchkula. The woman’s counsel had sought a safe accommodation for the couple, stating that Hindu groups had created tension in Mewat’s Ferozepur Jhirka area where they lived.

The plea, filed through advocate Mohammad Arshad & argued by advocate G S Dhillon, alleged that the woman’s father had lodged a complaint of kidnapping against her husband at the instance of the Hindu groups.

In a separate order, the court ordered authorities to provide protection to advocate Arshad, who alleged that his family members had received threats for representing the couple in court.

Arshad said, “The DGP has been asked to file an affidavit after inquiring into the instances recorded in the petition filed by me for protection". 

 Arshad added, “An FIR has been filed against my brother-in-law & another relative to exert pressure on me. I am merely a counsel. The Bar Association has also taken up the matter with the police.”

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