Criminal Misc. No.M-7293 of 2009 -1- **** IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB AND HARYANA AT CHANDIGARH Criminal Misc. No.M-7293 of 2009 Date of decision : 30.10.2009 Jeevan Jyoti and another .....Petitioners Versus The State of Punjab and others ...Respondents **** CORAM : HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE S. D. ANAND Present: Mr. Sarabjit Singh, Advocate for the petitioners. Mr. B.B.S.Teji, Assistant Advocate General, Punjab S. D. ANAND, J. This petition, for protection of their life and liberty had been filed by the petitioners who had entered into matrimony against the wishes of their family members. Apprehending danger to their life and liberty at the hands of their relations, the run away couple applied for a direction to the police for protection of their life and liberty. A Coordinate Bench of this Court (M.M.S.Bedi, J.) noticed a plea raised by the petitioners that they are major and issued an interim direction to the effect that “the petitioners will not be taken in custody by the police on any complaint of the private respondents regarding kidnapping, abduction or rape of petitioner no.1 by petitioner no.2”. However, the Bench did not express any opinion on the age of the petitioners or the validity of the marriage. The father of the girl had independently filed Criminal Writ Petition No.350 of 2009 for Habeas Corpus. The enclosed file is Criminal Misc. No.M-7293 of 2009 -2- **** supportive of the averment made before this Court that the Criminal Writ Petition stands dismissed on a finding that the petitioners are major. The respondent No. 2 shall ensure that the petitioners shall have the similar constitutional protection which is available to all the citizens of the country under Article 21 of the Constitution of India. The reiteration of that obvious constitutional guarantee would not be inferred to be an expression of opinion on the merits of the averments in the course of the petition qua the factum/validity of their matrimonial alliance. Disposed of accordingly. October 30, 2008 (S. D. ANAND) Pka JUDGE Note: Whether to be referred to Reporter: Yes/No Criminal Misc. No.M-7293 of 2009 -3- ****