Adult woman can reside wherever and with whosoever she wishes: HC

The Delhi High Court has remarked that a woman, who had eloped with a man, is “free to reside wherever she wishes and with whosoever she wishes, she being a major”.

The Bench of Justice Vipin Sanghi and Justice Rajnish Bhatnagar noted that as per the status report filed by the police, “she was born in 2000, and even on the date she went missing, she was a major”.

The woman told the Bench she went with the man of her own free will and she has married him.

Police escort

The Bench directed that the woman can reside with the man. “We direct the police authorities to escort her to the residence of [the man],” the court ordered.

“The police authorities shall also counsel the petitioner [sister and parents of the woman] not to take the law into their hands or threaten either [her or the man],” the court cautioned.

It also directed the police officers to give phone number to the couple so that they may get in touch with police officers in case of need.

The court’s decision came while hearing a habeas corpus petition filed by the woman’s sister claiming she had gone missing or was illegally detained. The plea said the woman went missing on September 12 and the family suspected the man.

The woman was later traced and produced before the court through videoconferencing.