india

Updated: Mar 26, 2019 09:05 IST

The Rajasthan High Court on Monday allowed a 26-year-old woman to live with a married man whom she loves. The court’s permission came while it was hearing a petition by the man who alleged that the woman had been held hostage by her parents.

The division bench of Justice Sandeep Mehta and Justice Vinit Kumar Mathur gave this order during the hearing of a habeas corpus petition in which the petitioner Moinuddin Abbasi said he married Rupal Soni on July 23, 2018, which was registered with the marriage registration officer at Abu Road. Abbasi alleged that Soni’s family was holding her hostage.

On this, the bench ordered the police to produce the woman before the court. During the previous hearing on March 13, when she was produced before the court, many new shocking facts came to light. The court was informed that the petitioner was already married and had two children. Despite this, he had registered an inter-faith marriage with Soni. In view of the sensitive nature of the case, the court then ordered that the woman be sent to a government home for women in Udaipur.

During the hearing on Monday, Soni was again produced before the court.

“We sent her to Nari Niketan, Udaipur, so as to give her a period of contemplation regarding her future course of action. Upon being asked by the court, she firmly and affirmatively insisted that she was inclined to continue her relationship with the petitioner and that she would take this step at her own risk. The girl is a major, matured person, capable of taking rational decisions,” the bench said.

“In view of this matter, we direct that Rupal Soni, the alleged detenue shall be set at liberty forthwith. She is free to proceed to the place where she desires to go. She shall be provided appropriate security till she reaches Nari Niketan, Udaipur, from where she will be at liberty to collect her belongings,” court ordered.

The petitioner, the detenue Rupal Soni and her parents as well as her brother were present in the court room.