BHOLANATH TRIPATHI Vs. STATE OF UTTAR PRADESH

JUDGEMENT

(1.) The letter dated 23/06/1989 addressed to the Hon'ble Chief justice of India by a certain Bholanath Tripathi, a journalist, which has been registered as a writ petition, brings to the notice of this court the sad plight of Kanchan Devi who is stated to have been held in captivity and forced into prostitution by a certain Janak Dulare Srivastava.

(2.) The situation described in Bholanath Tripathis letter and in that of Kanchan Devi to the former, on the basis of which the present letter petition was presented, if true, are indeed lurid and sordid. According to the allegations, the said Srivastava is stated to have paid Rs. 45,000. 00 to kanchan Devi father and that under the guise of a marriage the said srivastava is holding her in confinement and using her to earn money from prostitution. If the. grievance of the lady turns out to be genuine, the delay in listing the matter before the court would, indeed, be unfortunate. The letter was received in June 1989, and the matter is listed before the court nearly five months thereafter.

(3.) Prima facie, the letter petition bears serious scrutiny and investigation. Some urgent interim action is also necessary to save the lady from further indignity and violations of her person.