Delhi HC allows woman to return home after fleeing 'constant bickering' to study

new delhi: A woman told the Delhi High Court on Monday that she had left home with a Muslim man as she was unable to study at her house due to unconducive environment, but was now ready to be with her parents.

The high court, which orally observed that the couple was not married though a 'nikahnama' had been prepared, was assured by the woman's parents that they would respect her desire to study further and also create a conducive situation at home.

Besides, they assured the court that they would not scold or taunt their daughter for whatever has happened, nor force her to marry any other person against her wishes.

Initially, when a bench of Justices Vipin Sanghi and Rajnish Bhatnagar interacted with the woman in the virtual proceedings, she said she was not willing to go back to her family and will speak to them later.

To this, the bench said, If she doesn't want to go, we cannot force her to go.

However, after interacting with her weeping parents during the hearing, she agreed to return home and the court allowed her father to pick her up during the day from Nari Niketan in the national capital where she has been residing since December 26 after being traced from West Bengal.

The family had claimed that she was forcibly taken away by a Bangladeshi' man.

"She has also stated that she went with... (the man) to an advocate who was paid Rs 10,000 and he prepared a nikahnama after calling a qazi. She has not stated that she was converted to Islam. It would remain to be seen whether mere preparation of a nikahnama, in these circumstances, would tantamount to a Muslim marriage," the court

said.