Woman dragged from outside Chennai court hall to car, beaten up

The woman was in the Madras High Court following a Habeas Corpus Petition filed by her husband, alleging she had been kidnapped by her family members in August and praying for a court direction to Villupuram district police to produce her in court and set her free.

The petitioner claimed they had got married on Oct 10, 2008. After living together for some time they decided to move back to their homes till completion of their studies. They lived apart till June last, he said.

On July 24 last, the woman's father came to know about the marriage and kidnapped her a few days later with the help of some persons, the petitioner alleged. He said he had lodged a complaint with the police, but to no avail.

The woman,accompanied to court by her father,among others, told the court she had married the man and lived with him for about 10 days and that she had been ill treated by him, following which she had returned to her house. Her husband's claim that she had been kidnapped was not correct, she said.

The woman's father charged the man with fabricating documents to show the two were married. He said she was now living with him and she had moved the court for divorce.
However, on leaving the court, she refused to go with her father, following which she was dragged to the car and beaten up. Her advocate had claimed in court that she was forcibly taken away by her father.

On being told about it, Division Bench Justices M Chocklingam and M Sathyanarayanan directed that she be placed in a government home in the city until further orders.
The Judges also made it clear that neither the husband nor the father should in any manner disturb her.