The Delhi High Court has ruled that an adult/major girl is “free to reside wherever and with whoever she wishes to reside”. The observation was made by the HC at a time when several BJP-ruled states have advocated for a law against ‘love jihad’. A division bench of Justices Vipin Sanghi and Rajnish Bhatnagar passed the order while hearing a habeas corpus petition filed by the family of a girl. The family had sought her production before the court.
The petition alleged that the girl went missing on September 12. According to the family, she was kidnapped by a man, identified as Babloo.
The woman was traced and produced before the court via video-conferencing.
The girl, who is in her 20s, made her statement under Section 164 CrPC wherein she categorically stated the she “went with Babloo of her own and that she has married him”.
The HC then brushed aside the family’s objections and permitted her to reside with Babloo.
The court also directed the police to provide security to the girl and the man.