A Delhi High Court Bench led by Justice Vikramjit Sen today ordered the Delhi Police to protect the couple, once separated by guile.

Their story began last year when 30-something Delhiite Sandeep Mawa fell in love with Srinagar resident Sumi, then Sumara Shafi — both doctors at Batra Hospital in Jammu then, their counsel B B Bhatia said.

But fearing reprisals from Sumi’s family, the couple fled to Pune and secretly got married at an Arya Samaj temple on August 6, 2007, Bhatia said. With the girl’s family close at heels, the two then went into hiding at Lonavala, near Pune, for a few days before returning to Sandeep’s house here.

But trouble came right behind them. Mohammed Shafi Batkoo, Sumi’s father, and three relatives tracked down the couple in Delhi and found them home a day after they arrived here, Bhatia said.

According to their petition, Batkoo expressed his wishes to “re-solemnise” the wedding and sought the Mawa family’s permission to take his daughter away for a fortnight. Sumi believed him and left for Srinagar.

And that was the last Sandeep heard of his wife for a while.

Attempts to get in touch with Sumi failed as Batkoo “flatly refused or threatened him”, Sandeep’s lawyer said. A criminal complaint lodged with the Mehrauli Police Station also drew a blank.

“I was told to forget her and not call again,” Sandeep said in his habeas corpus petition, filed on October 4, 2007. The petition said he apprehended Sumi has been “killed or forcefully taken to some unknown place”.

His counsel Bhatia said, “A Delhi Police party went to Srinagar twice to get in touch with Sumi. The second time, Sandeep and some police officials were assaulted by a mob in Srinagar.”

This, Bhatia said, prompted the court to issue a non-bailable warrant against Batkoo with express directions to produce Sumi in court on Friday.