CHANDIGARH; The Punjab and Haryana High Court on Monday took suo-motu notice of an incident in which a woman was allegedly assaulted and paraded semi-naked by her son's in-laws in Tarn Taran and said it reminded of the "chirharan of Draupadi' at the behest of the Kauravas in Mahabharat.
The 55-year-old woman was assaulted and paraded semi-naked in Punjab's Tarn Taran district allegedly by her son's in-laws, after he eloped with a woman and married her against the wishes of her family.
The incident occurred in a village on March 31, a few days after the victim's son eloped with the woman and married her, police had said.
Justice Sanjay Vashisth took suo-motu (on its own) cognisance of the "barbaric and shameful incident" through media reports and decided to treat the matter as public interest litigation.
Justice Vashisth is also the administrative judge of the Tarn Taran sessions division.
The matter was subsequently placed before a division bench of Acting Chief Justice G S Sandhawalia and Justice Lapita Banerji, which issued a notice of motion to the Punjab government.
"I am reminded of the historical event that had taken place during the Mahabharat era, that is, the chirharan of Draupdi at the behest of the Kauravas and the silence of the Pandavas, including Bhishma Pitamah, which ultimately resulted in bloodshed of thousands of people in the Mahabharat war.
"After centuries thereafter, an ordinary common man does not expect even today that the 'nyay pranali' (judicial system) would be a mute spectator to such incidents, happening sinfully and openly under the nose of the administration," Justice Vashisth observed.
"Being the administrative judge of the Tarn Taran sessions division, I am of the considered opinion that cognisance of this incident is required to be taken suo-motu on the judicial side, because the high court cannot be a mute spectator to such incidents, where the respect and modesty of a lady is outraged openly, and despite taking required steps, police and the other authorities concerned show or adopt a lackluster attitude and do not initiate prompt action," the judge said.
Police had said four people were arrested in connection with the incident.
According to the complaint filed by the victim, she was alone at home when her son's in-laws allegedly assaulted her and tore her clothes off.
They paraded her in the village in a semi-naked condition, the victim alleged.
A video purported showing the victim being paraded in the village surfaced on social media on Friday.
Kulwinder Kaur Mani, the mother of the victim's daughter-in-law, her brothers Sharanjit Singh Shanni and Gurcharan Singh, and family friend Sunny Singh have been arrested in connection with the incident.
Based on the complaint, an FIR was registered on April 3 under Indian Penal Code sections 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty), 354B (assault or use of criminal force to woman with intent to disrobe), 354D (stalking), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt) and 149 (unlawful assembly).