IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB AND HARYANA AT CHANDIGARH Crl. Misc. No. M-12601 of 2010 Date of decision: 3.5.2010 Arvinder Kaur and another …. Petitioners Versus State of Punjab and others ….. Respondents Present : Mr. ABS Sidhu, Advocate for the petitioners. *** S.S. SARON, J. The petitioners are a newly married couple. They have filed the present petition for directing respondents No.1 and 2 to protect their life and liberty as they have married against the wishes of their parents. Both the petitioners, it is stated, are major. The date of birth of petitioner No.1 as per her Central Board of Secondary Education Certificate (Annexure P1) is 13.6.1991 and that of petitioner No.2 as per his matriculation (open school) certificate (Annexure P2) is 09.3.1986. The petitioners had known each other since long and had a liking for each other. Therefore, they have on their own solemnized their marriage amongst themselves at Swayamvar Sanskar Foundation, Chandigarh. The certificate of marriage (Annexure P3) issued by Swayamvar Sanskar Trust (Regd.), Sector 30-B, Chandigarh regarding solemnization of marriage at Hanumant Dham, Sector 40-B, Chandigarh and Crl. Misc. No. M-12601 of 2010 [2] photographs (Annexure P4) regarding ceremony have been placed on record. After marriage it is alleged that the petitioners started getting threats from the parents of petitioner No.1. The parents of petitioner No.2 have accepted the marriage. The persons from whom the petitioners apprehend threats are mentioned in Para 6. They are Mohinder Singh and Amarjit Kaur, parents of petitioner No.1, Mandip Singh, brother of petitioner No.1, Gurnam Singh, mother’s sister’s husband (Masar) of petitioner No.1 and Harwinder Kaur, mother’s sister (Masi) of petitioner No.1 respectively. The petitioners also submitted an application dated 26.4.2010 (Annexure P5) seeking protection of their life and liberty. However, despite the said representation, the threat to the petitioners persists. Therefore, they have approached this court. Both the petitioners are present in Court and are identified by their counsel. It is stated by petitioner No.1 that she has solemnized her marriage with petitioner No.2 of her own free will and desire and without any kind of pressure or undue influence. She is happy with her marriage. Keeping in view the facts and circumstances of the case, the criminal miscellaneous petition is disposed of with a direction to respondents No.1 and 2 that in case the petitioners approach any of them setting out their grievances as have been made in the present petition, the same would be looked into by them independently and in accordance with law. (S.S. SARON) JUDGE May 3, 2010 amit