Shreya Gupta
On February 27, 2025, the Kerala High Court granted police protection to an interfaith couple from Jharkhand who fled their home state due to threats from their families and got married in Kerala. The Court has also directed the police to ensure that the couple is not repatriated elsewhere while the writ petition remains pending.
Justice C.S. Dias, while hearing the matter, orally instructed that the police should be present to provide security and report any developments to the Station House Officer, who has been named as the third respondent in the case.
Upon considering the facts and materials presented, the Court was satisfied that the petitioners were entitled to an interim order for their protection. Consequently, the Court directed the Station House Officer to provide adequate police protection to the couple and prevent any forced relocation during the pendency of the case. The petitioners, Asha Verma and Mohammad Ghalib, belong to different religions and hail from Ramgarh district in Jharkhand. They had been in a relationship for the past ten years, but due to threats from their families, they moved to Kerala on 9th February, 2025. The couple solemnized their marriage according to Islamic rites in Kayamkulam, Alappuzha district, on February 11, but continued to face threats from their families.
The petitioner, Asha Verma, informed the Court that she was being coerced by her family to falsely claim that she had been abducted. She also emphasized that their lives were in grave danger. Given these circumstances, the couple approached the Kerala High Court seeking police protection and asserting their fundamental right to reside anywhere in the country and marry freely.
The plea was moved by a team of advocates, including Sravan M.S., Akhil Raj B., Gaya S. Latha, Srikanth Thamban, Arun Raj, Vishnu Vijayan, Ameesha George, and Bensan Benny.
Case Title: Asha Verma v. Director General of Police
Case Number: WPC 7928/2025
Bench: Justice C.S. Dias
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