HC: Counsel parents to not threaten daughter, husband for marrying against wishes

New delhi: The Delhi High Court has asked the police to counsel the parents of a 20-year-old woman, who willingly left her house and married a man of her choice, not to threaten the couple or take law into hands. The high court said the woman, being a major, was free to reside wherever and with whoever she wishes.

A bench of Justices Vipin Sanghi and Rajnish Bhatnagar directed that the woman be permitted to reside with the man and asked the police to escort her to his residence.

...(the woman) is free to reside wherever she wishes and with whoever she wishes, she being a major. We, therefore, direct that the woman may be permitted to reside with respondent no.3 (man). We direct the police authorities to escort her to the residence of the man, the bench said.

It asked the police to counsel the woman's sister and parents "not to take law into their hands or threaten either the man or the woman.

It said the mobile number of an official of the concerned police station, where she would reside with her husband, should be provided to them so that they may get in touch with police officials in case of need.

The woman was said to be missing and later traced and produced before the high court through video conferencing.

During an interaction with the judges, the woman said she had gone with the man of her own free will and that she had married him.