Woman accuses Delhi Police of illegal detention and ‘parades’ her to station without Purdah, HC seeks response
A Muslim woman alleged that on the intervening night of November 5-6, police officials barged into her house, conducted an illegal search, paraded her to the police station without a purdah/veil and detained her for 13 hours.
Delhi News: A Muslim woman has accused Delhi Police of forcibly taking her to the police station without her ‘purdah’ (veil), humiliating her and illegally detaining her for almost 13 hours. In her petition filed in the Delhi High Court, the ‘purdahnashin’ (veiled) woman has sought an impartial investigation and strict action against the accused staff.
The top court on Saturday sought the Delhi Police’s stand on the women’s petition.
In her petition, the woman alleged that on the intervening night of November 5 and 6, around 3 a.m., some police officials barged into her house, conducted an illegal search, paraded her to the police station without her purdah/veil and detained her. for 13 hours in flagrant violation of the law.
Notice issued to Delhi Police
Justice Saurabh Banerjee informed the city police commissioner about the woman’s petition, which also asked to sensitize the force’s personnel about the sacred religious, social customs and practices observed by women performing ‘purdah’ in either as a religious belief or as part of their personal choice.
Lawyer M. Sufian Siddiqui, who represented the petitioner, argued that the conduct of the police officers was a blatant violation of the petitioner’s fundamental rights enshrined in the Constitution and her human rights under the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
In an order issued on November 30, Justice Banerjee directed the police to preserve the relevant CCTV footage of all the cameras installed in and around the police station premises as well as the cameras installed by the city government and private residents in the area.
“Issue notice. The respondent is directed to preserve the CCTV footage of all cameras installed in and around PS.: Chandni Mahal, Central-District, Delhi for the period from 1:00 AM to 5:00 PM on 06.11.2023, as well as the CCTV footage of all cameras installed by the GNCTD and/or private residents in the vicinity of the petitioner’s residence, towards the PS: Chandni Mahal, Central District, Delhi for the period of 1:00 a.m. to 6:00 AM on 06.11.2023,” the court ordered.
The court gave the city police four weeks to file a status report on the action taken on the petitioner’s complaint.
The petition states that a ‘purdahnashin’ woman enjoys the shield of religious sanction, along with the right to choose and dress, as provided under ‘Right to Life’, and cannot be forced to face the world seen without her obligatory veil. It said the conduct of the police personnel was a blatant violation of her ‘Right to Privacy’, ‘Right to Live with Dignity’ and ‘Right to Reputation’.
The conduct of the police by “forcibly entering her home without her consent while she was all alone, illegally conducting searches, dragging her from her home without her Purdah/veil/Burqa to the police station, illegally detaining her hold at the police station” She was kept in the police station for nearly 13 hours, subjecting her to inhuman and degrading treatment, which also left an “indelible stain on her dignity and self-respect” overnight, the plea said.
The case will be heard further in January.
(With PTI inputs)