SRINAGAR: A routine petition from a 19-year-old woman and her much older husband, a moulvi, seeking protection from the woman’s family aroused the suspicion of Jammu and Kashmir high court after the judge interacted with the bride, prompting the HC to order an investigation into a criminal network allegedly luring young and vulnerable girls.“A moment of vigilance on the part of this court, being able to prevent the life of a teenage girl from going to waste, is the best opening for this order,” Justice Rahul Bharti said.A govt lawyer said that after interacting with the petitioners, the court sent the bride to Open Shelter for Girls Home in Srinagar last week, and the man to Shaheed Gunj police station for investigation, where police found that the man was already married.During the second hearing, the court handed over the custody of the teenager to her mother.Justice Bharti observed, “The proceedings of this case would continue suo motu before this court, particularly considering the fact that even the role of the advocate representing the petitioners needs to be seriously brought under scrutiny.”The court directed the registrar Judicial in Srinagar to issue a notice to the advocate. The judge also ordered a probe into the role of the moulvi, by whose reference the alleged nikahnama dated Nov 14, 2025, was produced in the court.The HC appointed an amicus curiae to assist in examining issues related to the safety and security of young girls, particularly in rural areas.Justice Bharti also directed the SSP to ensure the safety and security of the girl and her mother and sought the name of a woman IPS officer posted in Kashmir to probe the case.
