Mumbai, May 7 (IANS) The Bombay High Court Monday allowed 21-year-old Guwahati resident Bidhan Baruah aka 'Swati' to undergo sex change, saying he is free to take his decision.
The court observed there was no law prohibiting sex change.
A division bench of justices S.J. Vazifdar and A.R. Joshi were hearing the case of Baruah who last month filed a petition in the Bombay High Court seeking permission for a sex change surgery.
"He (Baruah) is an adult and can take his own decisions. There is no law which prohibits a sex change operation," the court said.
"The court has said that Baruah should be granted police protection as and when required," Baruah's counsel Ejaz Khan told IANS.
Last week, after the court adjourned Baruah's case, he had threatened to commit suicide if his petition was not heard immediately.
The court had then warned Baruah's counsel Khan that he cannot pressurize the judges.
Baruah, who thinks he is a woman trapped in a man's body, came to Mumbai last month for a sex change surgery.
He filed a petition in the Bombay High Court, stating his parents were not supportive of his decision.
He had written to the chief justice of India and the National Human Rights Commission urging them to grant him a favourable order.
Barua also alleged that his parents have frozen his bank account and that he has no funds to support himself and pay the lawyer's fees.
He alleged that they were threatening to forcefully take him back home. He sought police protection.
Barua, who prefers being called 'Swati', said he wants to get this surgery done as soon as possible so that he can marry his fiance, an air force officer posted in Gujarat.
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