AARTI Vs. STATE OF PUNJAB

JUDGEMENT

(1.) Petitioners have filed this petition under Article 226 of the Constitution of India seeking issuance of a writ in the nature of Mandamus for directing respondents No.2 and 3 to protect the life and liberty of the petitioners and to restrain the private respondent No.4 from harassing/threatening the petitioners or from interfering in the peaceful life of the petitioners.

(2.) Succinctly, petitioner No. 1 (minor), aged about 17 years, is stated to be currently residing with her friend petitioner No.2 - Preety, a social worker. It is stated that the father of petitioner No.l (minor) has already expired and her mother is a housewife, who is living with respondent No.4, who is none other but the brother of petitioner No.l and is stated to be drug addict and unemployed. It is alleged that brother of petitioner No.l namely, Arjun (respondent No.4) gave threats and beatings to petitioner No.l (Aarti) and has even attempted to force petitioner No.l into human trafficking for drugs and other illegal purposes.

(3.) Learned counsel for the petitioners submits that the petitioner No.l is a minor and fears for her safety and liberty at the hands of respondent No.4-her brother. It is stated that the petitioner No.l has presently taken refuge with petitioner No.2, who has come forward to protect her from imminent harm. It is further submitted that in somewhat similar circumstances, a co-ordinate Bench of this Court while passing a common judgment dtd. 28/3/2022 in CRWP No.2139 of 2022, CRWP No.2140 of 2022 and CRWP No.2250 of 2022, granted protection to the minor(s), who approached this Court through their next friend(s)/next relative(s); coupled with adequate measures taken under the statutory scheme in the best interest of the minor(s). It is accordingly prayed that the life and liberty of the petitioners be protected, which is threatened at the hands of the private respondent No.4 (Arjun).