SC: Give security to woman with threat from dad

The Supreme Court on Monday directed the Karnataka police to provide security to a 26-year-old woman from Kalaburagi, who claimed she was forcefully married to a man without her consent, and feared for her life from her politician father and other members of her family.

A bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justices A M Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud interacted with the girl, who submitted she wanted to pursue her M Tech from Bengaluru, and directed her family members not to pose any obstruction in her life.

“You are a major. You are independent to go wherever you want,” the bench told her.

Senior advocate Basava Prabhu Patil, representing her family members, assured the court that there would be absolutely no obstruction on their part in her life. On a plea by senior advocate Indira Jaising, representing the woman, the court directed Patil to ensure she would be provided her passport, educational certificates, Aadhaar card and other documents.

The court, however, clarified she had to pursue separate proceedings to annul her marriage.

On April 11, the top court had refused to consider her plea to put in valid consent as a condition for matrimonial alliance under the Hindu Marriage Act.

The woman had claimed she had run away from her family members after she was forcefully married her to a man of not her choice on March 14. She was provided protection here by the Delhi Commission for Women.