The Delhi High Court on Thursday, October 28, lambasted the Shamli Police of Uttar Pradesh for arresting two relatives of a person who had married a woman, opposing the wishes of her family. The arrests had allegedly been made in Delhi and the police had not even verified the age of the woman. This led the high court to slam the UP Police. “Yahan Dilli mein nahi chalega yeh (This will not go on in Delhi),” Justice Mukta Gupta said, reported Bar and Bench
Justice Gupta slammed the Station House Officer (SHO) and said, “Without asking the age, you go ahead and arrest people. If she is a major then isn’t her word going to prevail?”
When asked by the court, the SHO said that the men had not been placed under arrest in Delhi, to which Justice Gupta said: “I will get all the CCTV footage. If I see that they were arrested here, I shall order a departmental inquiry.”
“Yahan Dilli mein nahi chalega yeh (This will not go on in Delhi),” declared the Court.
The duo was arrested by the Shamli Police in August 2021 based on a complaint by the woman’s family. The two men were related to the man who, along with the woman, moved the court.
According to the First Information Report lodged in Shamli, the woman is 21 years old.
The Court questioned the Shamli Police over the absence of the verification of the woman’s age before the men were arrested. “Why didn’t you verify if she is a major or not?” the judge asked.
The Court even censured the woman’s family when they failed to provide a proper response on the woman’s age. Justice Gupta warned them of action if mischief on their part is proved.
“Wo baalig hai.. Uski marzi.. Ye jo aapne kaam kiya ye 100 per cent illegal hai. Padhiye.. isme likha toh hai umar 21 saal (She is an adult. It’s her wish. What you have done is 100 per cent illegal. Read this (refers to the FIR). It says age 21),” the court said.
Justice Gupta then ordered the Shamli Police to record the woman’s statement on the Delhi High Court premises. It directed the SHO to mention her age in the statement and present it to a local court in UP to facilitate the bail of the arrested men.
“I want the CCTV footage. If I see UP police personnel entering [Delhi], I shall take action. We shall not permit this. You cannot do illegal acts here,” the court said.
(With inputs from Bar and Bench)
