The Allahabad High Court has held that an adult woman has the freedom to live with a person of her choice and at a place of her choosing. Justice Sandeep Jain passed the order after the woman told the court that she wanted to return to her parents.
The court heard a habeas corpus petition filed by Ravi Shankar and others, alleging Mohammad Imran had taken the woman away.
Police registered a missing-person report at Mau Aima police station on June 21, 2026, and later filed an FIR on August 4 under Sections 86 and 351(3) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
The police traced the accused’s last known location to Thane West in Mumbai.
Following an August 21 court order, Sub-Inspector Ayush Singh and woman constable Nidhi Kumar produced the woman before the court. During a direct interaction with the judge, she said she was around 19 years old and had studied up to Class 9.
The woman told the court that she had voluntarily left her home with Mohammad Imran and stayed with him for around two months. However, she said she now wanted to return to her parents and acknowledged her decision.
Her father, Ravi Shankar, also expressed his willingness to take her back into his care.
After considering her statement and noting that she was an adult, the court accepted the habeas corpus petition. The court ordered that she would have complete freedom to live with a person of her choice and at a place of her choice.
The ruling underscores the court’s recognition of an adult’s autonomy in deciding where and with whom to live.
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