Chennai: A girl aged 16, who was allegedly kidnapped by her former driver on December 13, 2015, in Tiruvannamalai district, was produced before the Madras high court on Friday by police.
She informed the court that on her own accord she went out of her home and married the driver on that day and living with him as his wife. She also expressed her willingness to go with her parents.
Recording her statement and pointing out the girl’s tender age and her submission, a Division Bench comprising Justices M. Jaichandren and S. Nagamuthu permitted the parents, who were present, to take the minor girl, get her into study and maintain her, by keeping her in their custody, without harming her either physically or mentally and ensure absolute safety for her.
As directed by court earlier, the Tiruvnnamalai superintendent of police and inspector investigating the case appeared before the Bench along with the girl on Friday.
Refusing to concede the girl’s request that no action should be taken against her husband, the Bench explained to her that law will take its own course. Passing orders on a HCP filed by N. Venkatesan, father of the girl, the Bench also directed the district child welfare committee president to make periodical visits to the petitioner’s house to verify whether the minor girl was maintained properly or not and to submit a report to this court.
The Tiruvannamalai collector should make arrangements for a counsellor/psychiatrist to visit the girl as and when required and counsel her. The Tiruvannamalai SP was directed to ensure that a woman inspector and an SI visit the petitioner’s house everyday and make a record of their visit and verify whether the girl was maintained safely, without causing any harm to her, the court said.
