The Delhi High Court has directed the Delhi Police to provide protection to a lesbian woman, who was married off against her wishes and was being forced to live with her husband.
A single-judge bench of the high court presided over by Justice Mukta Gupta sought response over the plea which also alleged that the woman was being threatened to be cured of her sexual orientation.
“An adult woman cannot be forced to stay with her marital or parental family against her wishes,” the bench said while fixing the matter for further hearing on March 25.
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The plea stated that the woman escaped from her marital home on 07.03.2021 and contacted an NGO for help.
“The petitioner was provided temporary shelter run by another NGO, but her family members reached the premises of the safe house and asked for the petitioner to be handed over to them,”
-the plea read.
“The petitioner is also at liberty to shift to a different location if she so pleases, and Delhi Police shall take all necessary steps to provide protection to the petitioner at her new location,”
-the bench said while also directing the police that no NGO members are harassed or harmed for helping the petitioner.