Weeks after closing Habeas Corpus case, Kerala High Court orders police protection for lesbian couple from parents
The Kerala High Court on Wednesday granted police protection to a lesbian couple after they alleged that they were being threatened by their immediate relatives [Afeefa & Anr. v The Director General of Police & Ors.]
Justice PV Kunhikrishnan passed the interim order directing the police authorities to provide adequate police protection to the couple, Afeefa and Sumayya, from Afeefa's parents and their henchmen.
The Court also issued notice to the concerned authorities of the State police as well as to Afeefa's parents.
In a plea moved by them, Afeefa and Sumayya stated that while she was detained by her parents, Afeefa was forcibly subjected to conversion therapy at a hospital in Kozhikode.
Notably, last month the High Court closed a habeas corpus petition moved by Sumayya for Afeefa's release.
This case was closed after an interaction with Afeefa, when she said that she wished to go with her parents, although she confirmed that she was in a relationship with Sumayya.
In the latest plea filed before the High Court, the couple submitted that when Afeefa interacted with the High Court earlier, she had been heavily drugged and was, therefore, unable to explain the truth of the situation.
The couple still fears that Afeefa's parents and their associates will try to separate them again and that too by force. Therefore, they approached the High Court seeking police protection.
Afeefa and Sumayya's case and their many attempts at procuring sufficient support from courts have garnered much media attention over the past month.
Sumayya had initially approached the High Court in June with a habeas corpus petition alleging that Afeefa was being illegally detained by her parents after they were forcefully separated by the families.
The couple had eloped and left their houses on January 27. Meanwhile, their parents approached the police with complaints. A magistrate court then considered their case and allowed the couple to live together.
However, Afeefa was allegedly forcefully taken back to her parents' house even after the magistrate's order.
It is then that Sumayya moved the habeas corpus petition before the High Court, in which she stated that there is a serious apprehension that Afeefa's parents would subject her to conversion therapy and that they have already admitted her to a hospital under the pretext of curing a mental illness.
After Afeefa told the Court that, although she was in a relationship with Sumayya, she wanted to go back home with her parents, the bench closed the habeas corpus petition.
Subsequently, the couple managed to reunite with the help of the police and the women's protection cell. However, the couple have now moved the High Court again for relief, on apprehensions that the threats from family members will continue.
The matter will be considered next on July 21.
The petitioners were represented by advocates Aneesh KR and Saurav B.
