Bride Says Interfaith Marriage Not Under Duress; HC Closes Habeas Plea

Hyderabad: A two judge panel of the Telangana High Court disposed of a habeas corpus plea alleging illegal confinement of a woman by her own family following her marriage to a Muslim man. The panel comprising Justice Moushumi Bhattacharya and Justice Gadi Praveen Kumar was dealing with a writ plea filed by a petitioner stating that his wife, a 20-year-old BTech student, converted to Islam on March 13 and married him on March 14. It was alleged that after the marriage was disclosed, her mother and other family members opposed the union and caused her detention.

The detenue was produced before the court, and she submitted that members of her family, including her mother and aunt, kidnapped her and detained her for about 20 days in Ahmedabad. She stated that threats were issued to her and her husband on account of the interfaith marriage. Senior counsel J. Prabhakar, appearing for the mother submitted that the marriage may not be voluntary and sought time for the detenue to return and make renewed submissions, after she gets some time to think. The panel rejected the submission and observed that a 20-year-old woman was an adult and was free to marry, and that her statement before the court established voluntary nature. Recording these developments, the panel opined that the writ court cannot go beyond its jurisdiction in a habeas corpus plea once the detenue is produced before it. Accordingly, the panel disposed of the petition.