SC grants protection to newly married inter-caste couple

A newly-wed young couple from Jaipur was given protection from arrest on Monday after they moved the Supreme Court and claimed they were getting threats over their inter-caste marriage. A vacation bench of justices Ashok Bhushan and Surya Kant noted that the couple have registered their marriage on March 2, 2020, and apprehend that there is a serious threat to them from family members.

New Delhi:The Supreme Court on Monday directed Rajasthan, Delhi and Uttar Pradesh police to not take any coercive action against the newly-wed couple from Jaipur and give adequate protection to them, after they claimed of receiving death threats over inter-caste marriage.

The Jaipur couple, who got married on Feb 28, moved to the top court on Monday seeking protection from the court fearing violence from the woman's family, who had allegedly made death threats against the couple.

A vacation bench of justices Ashok Bhushan and Surya Kant noted that the couple have registered their marriage on March 2, 2020 and apprehend that there is a serious threat to them from family members.

Earlier, the woman has also filed a complaint before the Station House Officer of Jyoti Nagar, police station regarding the issue.

"We direct respondent Nos.2 to 6 (Commissioner of Police, Delhi, Director General of Police, Uttar Pradesh and Director General of Police, Rajasthan) not to take any coercive action against the petitioners (couple) and in case of any requirement, adequate security be provided to the petitioners," the bench said.

Senior advocate Manan Mishra, appearing for the couple, said that protection should be granted to them as they apprehend danger to their life due to the marriage.

The plea stated that the couple apprehends coercive action by police of Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh, adding they want protection from Delhi Police.

"That in matter of marriage a couple, who are legally major have all the right to marry and the consent of the family or the community or the clan is not necessary, once the two adult individuals agree to enter into the wedlock," the plea said.

It said that when two adults consensually choose each other as life partners, it is a manifestation of their choice, which is recognized under Article 19 and 21 of the Constitution.

(With inputs from PTI)