Woman On Dharna In Berhampur: Court Asks Couple To Stay Together For 7 Days

The court of the sub-divisional judicial magistrate (SDJM) in Berhampur on Thursday directed a woman, who has been protesting in front of her in-laws’ house, to stay with her husband for seven days.

The court’s direction came in response to a petition filed by Tapaswini Dash in which she had urged the SDJM court to legalise her marriage with Sumit Sahu and pass a direction to her in-laws to accept her with dignity.  

After hearing the arguments of both parties, the court advised the woman and her husband to stay together for seven days at a rented house in Aska.

The Inspector-in-charge of Aska police station has been asked to arrangement the rented accommodation for the couple and provide protection to them.

During their stay, the couple will not be allowed to meet any of their relatives or social activists, the court clarified in its judgement.

Further, the court has directed the husband of the woman to bear all her expenses like food and medicines during the stay, said Pradeep Behera, the lawyer of Tapaswini Dash.

After the completion of seven days, they will again appear in court. 

On November 22, high drama unfolded in Brahma Nagar of the silk city when Tapaswini staged a sit-in outside Sumit’s house alleging him of deserting her on the wedding day. However, she also claimed that they both have been legally married in court but were staying apart following a dispute.