Taking strong note of irregular behaviour, in an incident of Uttar Pradesh Police detaining and taking away a young couple from their residence in the national capital to Ghaziabad last week, the Delhi High Court said it will examine how the cops allegedly carried-out the “operations” without intimating the Delhi Police.
Justice Anup J. Bhambhani has directed a sub-inspector of Delhi Police to collect the CCTV footage of cameras, if any, installed in and around the couple’s residence in Delhi in an effort to identify who entered and exited the premises on the night of incident. “Let the footage collected be placed on record under cover of a status report,” said the court.
The court was hearing a plea moved by the couple seeking protection against threats to their life at the hands of the girl’s relatives. While the woman is 19 years old, the man is 21 years old. The couple got married as per Hindu rites and ceremonies at an Arya Samaj Mandir in Delhi. A marriage certificate dated February 13 was also issued to them.
On February 16, the court had directed the SHO of Anand Parbat police station, under whose jurisdiction the couple has been residing, to ensure their safety and security against any threat by providing his as well as the concerned beat constable’s phone number.
However, the matter was urgently listed on February 18, after the couple alleged that certain persons, believed to be policemen from Uttar Pradesh’s Modi Nagar police station lifted them and took them away to Ghaziabad. The couple, even participated in the court proceedings through video-conferencing mode, and told court that on the night of February 16 at about 11.30 pm, UP police cops forcibly took them to Modi Nagar police station, where the man spent the entire night in the lock-up.
The testimony also disclosed that it was the next day that the girl was escorted to a court sometime in the afternoon where her statement was recorded in a closed room. Thereafter, she was brought back to the police station and the couple was allowed to leave. The court was also informed by the man that on the night of February 16, the phone calls made to SHO and beat constable of Anand Parbat police station went unanswered.
A ‘status report’ filed under the signatures of the sub-inspector concerned confirmed that no intimation or information was received at the Anand Parbat police station regarding arrival or departure of any officers of the UP police on the night of February 16. The matter will now be heard on February 23 on the aspect of the “operations” conducted by UP police officers in Delhi. The couple has been directed to remain present in court along with IO.
This is not the first time that UP Police has come under question for its operations against couples in national capital. “UP Mein Chalta Hoga Yaha Nahin,” stated the High Court in a case in 2021 as it slammed the police for arresting father and brother of a man who got married to a woman, against her family’s wishes.
Related:
UP Police harassing journalist Ashish Dixit?
Inquiry into rights violations by UP police during 2019 anti-CAA protests: NHRC