Punjab-Haryana High Court
Neha Rani And Anr vs State Of Punjab And Others on 7 August, 2023
CRWP No. 7802 of 2023 1 2023:PHHC:101269
129 IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB AND HARYANA
AT CHANDIGARH
CRWP No. 7802 of 2023
Date of Decision: 07.08.2023
Neha Rani and another ...Pe oners
Versus
State of Punjab and others ...Respondents
CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE ANOOP CHITKARA
Present: Mr. Gurbir Singh Sidhu, Advocate for the pe oners.
Mr. Shiva Khurmi, AAG, Punjab.
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ANOOP CHITKARA, J.
Fearing for their lives and liberty at the hands of the private respondents, the
pe oners, who claim to be in a live-in rela onship, a er crossing eighteen years of age,
have come up before this Court by invoking their fundamental rights of life guaranteed
under Ar cle 21 of the Cons tu on of India, seeking direc on to the State to protect
them from the private respondents.
2. No ces served upon the official respondents through the State's counsel. Given
the nature of the order that this Court proposes to pass, neither the response of official
respondents nor the issuance of no ces to the private respondents is required
3. If the allega ons of apprehension of threat to their lives turn out to be true, it
might lead to an irreversible loss. Thus, in the facts and circumstances peculiar to this
case, it shall be appropriate that the concerned Superintendent of Police, SHO, or any
officer to whom such powers have been delegated or have been authorized in this
regard, provide appropriate protec on to the pe oners for one week from today.
However, if the pe oners no longer require the protec on, then at their request it may
be discon nued even before the expiry of one week. A er that, the concerned officers
shall extend the protec on on day-to-day analysis of the ground reali es or upon the
oral or wri en request of the pe oners.
4. This protec on is subject to the stringent condi on that from the me such
protec on is given, the pe oners shall not go outside the boundaries of the place of
residence, except for medical necessi es, to buy household necessi es, and for
bereavements in the families of the close rela ves or close friends. However,
pe oner(s) shall be at liberty to shi the residence(s) and if the new place falls within
JYOTI
2023.08.07 15:00
I attest to the accuracy and
CRWP No. 7802 of 2023 2 2023:PHHC:101269
the district, then the protec on shall be extended to such place. This restric on saves
the pe oners from apprehended risk and ensures that the protec on is not flaunted.
5. It is clarified that there is no adjudica on on merits and that this order is not a
blanket bail in any FIR. It is further clarified that this order shall not come in the way if
the interroga on of the pe oners is required in any cognizable case. It shall also be
open for the pe oner(s) to approach this Court again in case of any fresh threat
percep on.
6. This order shall eclipse a er fi een days from today.
7. There would be no need for a cer fied copy of this order, and any Advocate for the
Pe oners and State can download this order and other relevant par culars from the
official web page of this court and a est it to be a true copy. The concerned officer can
also verify its authen city and may download and use the downloaded copy for
immediate use.
Pe on is allowed to the extent men oned above. All pending applica ons, if any,
stand disposed.
(ANOOP CHITKARA)
JUDGE
07.08.2023
Jyo -II
Whether speaking/reasoned: Yes
Whether reportable: No.
JYOTI
2023.08.07 15:00
I attest to the accuracy and
