In a significant ruling on Wednesday, the Supreme Court directed the Delhi police to ensure the protection of a 20-year-old woman who expressed fears for her safety due to threats posed by her own family members. The case, brought before the vacation bench consisting of Justice Bela Trivedi and Justice Prashant Kumar Mishra, centered around an alleged abduction of the young woman by the petitioner.
The petitioner vehemently denied abducting the woman and contended that she had willingly left her home due to the abusive environment created by her family. Challenging the Madhya Pradesh High Court’s decision to cancel his anticipatory bail, the petitioner argued that his lack of cooperation with the investigation and failure to respond to the Investigating Officer were the reasons for the revocation of his bail.
The Supreme Court expressed its reluctance to interfere with the High Court’s order, which had canceled the petitioner’s anticipatory bail. However, the proceedings took an unexpected turn when the 20-year-old woman appeared in person, revealing her concerns about her family’s actions. She explicitly stated that she was of legal age and denied being kidnapped or abducted, clarifying that she had chosen to leave her family due to their abusive behavior and coercive attempts to arrange her marriage.
Ultimately, the court granted security and protection to the woman, facilitating her return to Varanasi, where she resided alone. However, no action was taken to address the allegations of sexual abuse she had made against her brothers.
