SAIYAD SHEHNAZBANU SHAHNAWAZ Vs. STATE OF GUJARAT

JUDGEMENT

(1.) RULE. Learned APP waives service of notice of rule on behalf of respondent-State.

(2.) By way of the present petition, the petitioner has prayed for a direction to Respondent No. 2 to provide her with police protection until the solemnization of her marriage.

(3.) It is the case of the petitioner herein that the Petitioner fell in love with one Mr. Nitin Satish Gupta, who used to visit the store from time to time to assist his father, the owner of the store where the Petitioner is employed. The Petitioner and Mr. Nitin Gupta decided to solemnize their union through marriage, for which an application was submitted to the office of the Sub- Registrar, Vadodara, under the Special Marriage Act, 1954. Pursuant to the said application, a public notice was issued on 1/4/2025 inviting objections. Subsequently, the family members of the Petitioner created a ruse and physically assaulted her with the support of certain community members. On 3/4/2025, both the Petitioner and Mr. Nitin Gupta were threatened by the Petitioner's family and members of the community. Despite the intervention of police officials, the Petitioner's family forcibly took her to her maternal residence in Surat against her will, where she was confined to a single room. During her confinement, she was subjected to verbal and physical abuse. Moreover, the family members castigated her, accusing her of committing a grave disservice to her religion by expressing her intention to live with someone who does not follow the Islamic way of life.