The Delhi High Court has granted protection to a runaway couple, who married against the wishes of parents and apprehend danger to their lives. Justice Najmi Waziri said parents or relatives cannot interfere in the exercise of the constitutional right of a citizen to choose a life partner. The High Court also asked the couple to take a joint mediclaim policy of ?5 lakh as a precautionary step. It remarked that the man has undertaken to create an equal share for his wife in all assets, which he inherits or would acquire in future. “Petitioner no. 2 [husband] undertakes to subscribe to a mediclaim policy of ?5 lakh for himself and his wife-petitioner no 1. The policy shall be kept alive at least for the duration of the marriage,” the court said. It was hearing the plea of the couple, whose marriage did not find favour with the woman’s parents, due to which they apprehended threat to their life and liberty at the hands of their families. The woman had also intimated the police in her home in Gujarat, and in Delhi that she got married to the man of her free volition and no action should be taken against him on anyone’s complaint. The court was assured by the prosecutor that the matter would be looked into and the woman’s father would be sensitised about the couple’s rights and the imperative to maintain peace. Notice to her father The court also issued a notice to the woman’s father and posted the case for further hearing on March 20. It also directed the Delhi Police to be in touch with the couple and access their safety and security on a weekly basis. It asked the man to deposit at least ?3,000 per month in his wife’s bank account in the form of a fixed deposit and she would be able to withdraw it after six months.