BADAR DURREZ AHMED, J 1. Jitender Kumar Sharma and Poonam Sharma fell in love, eloped together and got married. The problem is that they are both minors: Jitender is just under 18 years of age and Poonam is 16 years old. The further problem is that Poonam‘s family is strongly opposed to this alliance. Her parents, grandfather and paternal uncle who have been attending the court proceedings are not ready to accept this marriage at any cost. So much so, that Poonam has serious apprehensions about the safety to her life and to the life of Jitender. Another complication is that Jitender‘s sister happens to be Poonam‘s paternal uncle‘s wife. And, perhaps because of this incident, the uncle has turned out his wife (Jitender‘s) sister from her matrimonial home.

2. Without any information to their respective families Poonam and Jitender ran away from their homes and got married according to Hindu rites and customs on 3.5.2010 at Shiv Mandir, Garima Garden, Sahibabad (U.P.). On that date itself, not knowing the whereabouts of Poonam and suspecting that she had gone with Jitender, Poonam‘s father (Shri Jai Prakash Sharma) lodged First Information Report bearing No.110/2010 at Police