IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB AND HARYANA AT CHANDIGARH Criminal Writ Petition 1119 of 2011 Date of Decision : September 08, 2011 Mohni Singh ....Petitioner Versus State of Punjab and others .....Respondents CORAM : HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE T.P.S. MANN Present : Mr. Balkar Singh, Advocate for the petitioner. Mr. Ajay Kumar Sharma, Advocate for respondents No. 4 and 5. T.P.S. MANN, J. (Oral) The petitioner had prayed for issuance of a writ in the nature of habeas corpus directing respondents No.2 and 3 to produce his daughter-in-law Priya Sharma, who had been illegally detained by respondents No.4 and 5. According to the petitioner, his son Satinder Singh married Priya Sharma, the alleged detenue, on 29.3.2011. This marriage was opposed to by the parents of Priya Sharma, who started threatening the petitioner, his son Satinder Singh and daughter-in-law Priya Sharma. Crl. Writ Petition 1119 of 2011 -2- Because of the same, Priya Sharma and Satinder Singh moved this Court by filing Criminal Misc. M-10002 of 2011 seeking directions to the police to protect their lives and liberty. The said petition was disposed of on 1.4.2011 with a direction to the Senior Superintendent of Police, Patiala to take appropriate action on the representation already submitted by the petitioners therein after taking into consideration the validity of their marriage as well as their ages. Despite the same on 17.5.2011 both Satinder Singh and Priya Sharma were picked up by the police and kept in illegal custody. After keeping Priya Sharma in custody for one night, the police sent her with her parents on the following day. Ever since then, she was being kept by her parents in illegal detention. While issuing notice of motion to respondents No.4 and 5, the Court had directed that they be present in person alongwith Priya Sharma. None of them has appeared in person. However, they are represented by counsel. At the same time, Priya Sharma and her husband Satinder Singh have appeared in person. The statement of Priya Sharma has been recorded, which is as follows:- “Stated that I was born on 2.3.1992. I have studied upto 7th class. On 29.3.2011, I married Satinder Singh. This marriage was not to the liking of my parents. For that reason, they got my husband Satinder Singh falsely implicated in a criminal case of having kidnapped me. Said Satinder Singh is presently on bail Crl. Writ Petition 1119 of 2011 -3- and I am living with him of my own free will and volition at his place for the last about one month though incognito as both of us apprehend danger to our lives and liberty at the hands of my parents”. As Priya Sharma is no more in the custody of respondents No.4 and 5 and rather she is staying with her husband Satinder Singh for the last about one month, the present petition has been rendered infructuous and is, accordingly, disposed of. However, Priya Sharma and her husband Satinder Singh would be at liberty to file a miscellaneous application in Criminal Misc. M-10002 of 2011 for seeking appropriate directions to the police regarding their lives and liberty. ( T.P.S. MANN ) September 08, 2011 JUDGE ajay-1