Criminal Misc. No.M-23342 of 2009 -1- **** IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB AND HARYANA AT CHANDIGARH Criminal Misc. No.M-23342 of 2009 Date of decision : 5.11.2009 Shashi Nagar and another ....Petitioners Versus State of Punjab and others ...Respondents **** CORAM : HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE S. D. ANAND Present: Mr. P.S.Brar, Advocate for the petitioners. Mr. B.B.S.Teji, Assistant Advocate General, Punjab Mr. Gaurav G.S.Chauhan, Advocate for respondent no.5. S. D. ANAND, J. The petitioners, who were a run away couple, married of their free will and got their marriage registered at Dehradun on 10.7.2009. Though they were majors, their matrimonial alliance was not liked by respondents No.5 to 9 (who are parents and close relations of petitioner no.1) as it was a inter caste marriage. The petitioners apprehended danger to their life and applied for the grant of a direction to the official respondents to refrain from harassing them at the instance of private respondents no.5 to 9. They also sought protection of their life and liberty. The petitioners have otherwise placed on record the marriage registration certificate as Annexure P-1. In the course of the reply, the official respondents had averred that the petitioners had informed the police that they do not any longer apprehend danger from the private respondents. In support of the Criminal Misc. No.M-23342 of 2009 -2- **** above averment, the official respondents have enclosed the statement made by both the petitioners under their own signatures. Respondent no.5 also filed a reply wherein he made a precise averment that the marriage of the petitioners has come to his notice only in the light of notice received from the Registry of this Court and that he “is not left with other alternative but to accept the same.” Learned counsel for the petitioners states that though he is not in a position to challenge the correctness of averment made in the course of reply filed by the official respondents, he would request that protection of life and liberty of the petitioners may still be ordered. 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. November 05, 2008 (S. D. ANAND) Pka JUDGE