JOIN USAs a new twist, a division bench of the Karnataka High Court, on Wednesday, directed the State police to produce her before the court.
The Court was hearing a habeas corpus petition by M Shivakumar, a resident of Bhuvaneshwarinagar. He had moved the High Court stating that his wife Alka Tiwari, whom he married on May 8, 2009 at Peenya Sub-Registrar’s office was taken home by the girl’s parents.
According to him, the girl’s father, Mahesh Tiwari, mother Kusum and brother Ravi Kumar had taken her to their native place Kokkra Kotwa, near Allahabad in Uttar Pradesh. They assured the Peenya police and the couple that they will get them married as per their traditions, but had detained her illegally in their house.
The petitioner said that when he approached the Peenya police on June 8, 2009, the police refused to accept a complaint. Even a complaint to the Police Commissioner dated June 9, 2009 did not have much effect.
He said that he had spoken to his wife over the telephone, who confirmed that she has been detained there. For proof, he produced the recorded conversation between them to the Court.
The division bench headed by Justice Manjula Chellur, which heard the matter asked the girl’s father to identify the voice recorded, which he admitted as that of his daughter’s voice.
However, he was evasive when the Court sought to know his house address.
The bench expressed its dissatisfaction over the police decision to send the girl with her parents, saying that when they were legally married how could it be improved by a ritual marriage.
The Court directed the police to produce the girl before the Court on Monday with the help of Uttar Pradesh police. The Court also directed the police to keep a watch on the girl’s father.