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Synopsis

The Bombay High Court on Friday directed the Mumbai Police to provide protection to an interfaith married couple who feared that the Gujarat police would take the woman back to her house.

The division bench of the high court, comprising Justice Revati Mohite Dere and Justice PK Chavan, was hearing a petition filed by a woman who ran away from Ahmedabad and got married to a Mumbai resident as per Muslim rituals.

After the woman left Ahmedabad, her family filed a missing complaint. They also alleged that she took ₹4.5 lakhs worth of gold and ₹50,000 in cash.

While interacting with the bench, the woman informed the judges that she knew the man for six years, as he was working with her maternal uncle's firm, and that she was aware the man was married with three children.

The woman also informed the bench that she was ready to give back the gold earrings she was wearing if her parents desired that.

The Gujarat Police, as well as the parents and the brother of the woman, were also present in the court.

The Gujarat Police informed the bench that they just wanted to record the statement of the woman, to which the bench said that the same can be done via video conferencing.

The bench directed the Gujarat Police not to take any coercive action and asked the Mumbai Police to provide security to the petitioners with two armed guards.

"Currently, looking at the animosity between the parents against the petitioners, in order to avoid any untoward incident, we deem it appropriate to direct the Additional Commissioner of Police (Protection and Security), to forthwith give police protection to the petitioners. We direct that two armed guards be given to the petitioners 24 x 7, 12 hours each, who will accompany the petitioners, wherever they go, until 8th August 2024," the order states.