The Madras High Court on Tuesday directed Damini, daughter of film director Cheran, to stay with the headmistress cum correspondent of Shrine Velankanni Higher Secondary School, T. Nagar, until further orders.
The director had objected to his daughter’s relationship with Chandru, a dancer on a television reality show. Following this, a habeas corpus petition was filed by Chandru’s mother.
In the petition, Easwari Ammal of Choolaimedu said her son and Damini were in love with each other.
She requested the court to free the girl, who was, at the time, lodged in a vigilance home in Mylapore after she complained against her father. The girl was produced in Court on Monday and directed to stay at the residence of a senior counsel.
On Tuesday, during in-camera proceedings, the High Court Bench spoke with Damini for a long time and also heard the appeals of the counsels. It also spoke with Easwari Ammal and Cheran. The Bench said certain things revealed by the parties concerned were to be taken into account in the girl’s best interest, in the future. At this stage, the Court said, it was more concerned with the safety and protection of the parties as they were prominent individuals in their respective fields.
“It is important that certain forces do not play a role in the current situation,” the Court said.The parties were of the opinion that, considering the situation prevailing in the girl’s house and also at the petitioner’s place, it would be appropriate to accommodate Damini elsewhere.
The Bench said it would be appropriate to direct Damini to go with B.K.K. Pillai, headmistress cum correspondent of Shrine Velankanni HSS, who resided at T. Nagar. The court also ordered all parties, including Damini, to be present in court on August 21.
