IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT PATNA CR. WJC No.989 of 2011 Manohar Kumar Bharti @ Manohar Kumar, S/o-Sri Shyam Kishore Mishra, R/o-Village-Jilalapur, P.S.-Sultanganj, District-Bhagalpur. –Petitioner. VERSUS 1. The State of Bihar through Director General of Police. 2. Superintendent of Police, Banka. 3. Deputy Superintendent of Police, Banka. 4. Station Head Officer, Banka. 5. Ramanand Pandit, S/o-Parmeshwar Pandit, R/o-Vill.-Dasera, P.S.-Belhar, District-Banka. 6. Pinki Kumari, D/o- Ramanand Pandit, R/o-Vill.-Dasera, P.S.-Belhar, District- Banka. –Respondents. ------------ 05 24.10.2011 By this writ petition, the petitioner seeks release of his wife respondent no.6, Pinki Kumari from the illegal confinement of her father, respondent no.5. When this writ petition was listed we questioned as to the age of the girl and it was pointed out that the girl had given a statement under Section-164 Cr.P.C. in which she had given her age to be about 19 years, which was also found so by the Court concerned. She medically examined. Being an adult, the learned Chief Judicial Magistrate released her on bail to the custody of her parents against her wishes. We directed for the production of the girl and the parents in the Court. They are all here including the girl, girl’s parent, the boy and boy’s parent. We have talked to the girl alone in presence of her mother. She has clearly stated that she is an adult and married to the writ petitioner and would like to stay with him as his wife. We then called everybody including the father of the boy who is an employee of the Police Department in the State Government. Both the boy and the boy’s father personally undertake to look after the welfare of the girl who could be 2 pregnant as per the medical report. They undertake not to trouble her in any manner and would permit her to go to her parental home any time she wished and would permit her parents to freely meet her when they want. Keeping in view of the aforesaid facts, we have no option but to direct that the girl, being a major, is free to choose where and with whom she would reside. In law we cannot prevent or overruled her decision in the matter. We direct accordingly. The girl is now free to go with her husband and her father-in-law who receive her and agree to take full care and keep her with full dignity. The writ petition is, accordingly, disposed of. Trivedi/ (Navaniti Prasad Singh, J.) (Ashwani Kumar Singh, J.)