Guj HC orders inter-faith couple's release from police custody

The Gujarat High Court hasordered immediate release of an inter-faith couple arrested byPalanpur police in Banaskantha district following an FIRlodged by the woman's family, which was apparently unhappyover her decision to get married against their wishes.

In its order issued on Tuesday, a division bench ofJustices Sonia Gokani and Sangeeta Vishen expressedunhappiness over the turn of events, terming them as''shocking''.

While ordering the couple's release, the high courtobserved that police had shown ''undue fervour'' while dealingwith this case of ''inter-religion marriage''.

The high court, while hearing a habeas corpus petitionfiled by the brother of the 30-year-old man, quashed theremand order issued by a local magistrate and asked thePalanpur police to release the couple immediately.

The court in its order directed the range inspectorgeneral, under whom Banaskantha falls, to inquire into theconduct of police inspectors of Palanpur-East and Palanpur-West police stations, ''in whose custody the couple has beendetained for all these days, and report to the DIG''.

The 30-year-old Muslim man from Palanpur got marriedto a 29-year-old Hindu woman, hailing from same town, inDecember-end last year.

The petition stated that the woman and the man werefriends since childhood. The man now works in Surat.

Apparently being unhappy over the woman's decision,her father lodged a complaint with Palanpur-East police,alleging that she stole money from the family's home beforerunning away.

Based on the complaint, the Palanpur police arrestedthe couple around a week back.

Later, a local magistrate remanded them in four-daypolice custody from January 18.

Following the police action, the man's brotherapproached the HC on January 18 with a habeas corpus petition,seeking production of his recently-married brother whileclaiming that he was illegally arrested.

As the couple has decided to settle in Surat, thestate government has assured the HC that Surat policecommissioner will be intimated to provide them protectioninitially for a period of four weeks.

Later, the couple would take a call on whether tocontinue the protection or not, the prosecutor told the court.

PTI PJT PDGK GK