Sold abroad? Punjab and Haryana High Court orders video call for woman in Bahrain

Tribune News Service

Saurabh Malik

Chandigarh, May 24

The Punjab and Haryana High Court has directed the Union of India to arrange an immediate video call between a woman in Bahrain and her parents for the “correct position” to emerge. The direction came on a habeas corpus petition filed by the parents based on a video call and communication received from the woman alleging that she was sold by her live-in partner in Bahrain.

As the matter came up for a resumed hearing, Justice Alok Jain’s Bench was informed of the situation through an affidavit submitted by Phillaur DSP Sarvanjit Singh. Among other things, the affidavit detailed that the woman travelled to Bahrain on March 9 with her partner following her the next day.

The counsel for the Union of India said available records suggested she initially went to Oman before travelling directly to Bahrain. “As per the email received from the detainee, it has been recorded that she had posted a video on social media because of her despondency. But, thereafter, she had deleted the video and has also stated that the petitioners have been calling her and asking her to return to India,” the counsel added.

Responding to the submissions, the counsel for the parents, Prikshit Thakur, suggested the arrangement of a video call between them and the alleged detainee by the authorities concerned. He added the parents would be present at the police station concerned at the time the authorities contacted her.

Justice Jain emphasised the urgency of the situation and instructed the authorities to facilitate the video call between the woman and her parents at the earliest before filing a fresh status report by the next date of hearing. The matter will now come up for further hearing next week.

The Bench, on the previous date of hearing, had directed the Union of India to make certain that the Indian Embassy in Qatar inquired into the matter with promptitude while ensuring the woman’s wellbeing. In the petition placed before the Bench, the parents –among other things – had made reference to ‘love-jihad’

Justice Jain, at that time, observed that the petition was filed based on the video call and communication received from the detainee alleging that she was sold by her live-in partner in Bahrain and was likely to be eliminated anytime.

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