MUSARRAT SHAHEEN Vs. MOHD DAUD AND YASIR ARAFAT

JUDGEMENT

(1.) S. K. Phaujdar, J. The instant habeas corpus petition was filed by Sri Alimuddin on behalf of Smt. Musharrat Shaheen upon a claim that the lady was his wife and she was being detained illegally by her father and brother. It was asserted in the application that Smt. M. Shaheen was aged about 19 years on the date of filing of the application (January, 1997) and she was the legally wedded wife of Alimuddin Khan. It was stated that Alimuddin had been a permanent resident of the district of Siddhartha Nagar but was now staying in Calcutta in connection with his livelihood. He developed intimacy with M. Shaheen and their marriage was performed at Nak-huda mosque, Calcutta, under the Special Marriage Act U Siddhartha Nagar. On 2-4-1997 she came to Siddhartha Nagar alongwith Alimuddin and started living there permanently. On 1st June, 1997 (sic), respondent No. 2 (Yaser Arafat) brother of the girl, came to Siddhartha Nagar and took her away to Calcutta on the pretext of illness of her father, Mohd. Daud (respondent No. 1), on a promise to reach her back to Siddhartha Nagar within a week. However, on 6th June, 1997, the girl telephoned her husband from Calcutta about her being beaten up by the respon dents simply for having married Alimud din. She also complained of illegal deten tion by her father and brother. She also informed that she was apprehending that she would be shifted to some unknown destination against her wishes and might be compelled to marry again.

(2.) UPON this information, Alimuddin and his mother went to Calcullta. They tried to contact the girl and she allegedly told the mother of Alimuddin in a talk through window that she was forcibly con fined in her father's house. It was not denied in the application that Alimuddin had one living wife living at Siddhartha Nagar and this lady had no complaint against her, nor was she against the second marriage of Alimuddin with M. Shaheen. A prayer for writ of habeas corpus for production of the girl in the court was made together with a prayer for such other consequential order as the court would deem fit.

(3.) ON 17-10-97 Musarrat Shaheen was produced by her parents and her state ment was recorded. There was no chal lenge to her identity. She had made a categorical statement that she did not want to live with her parents nor with Alimud din. She alleged that the habeas corpus petition was undoubtedly filed under her instruction but subsequently Alimuddin had given talaq to her. She wanted to con tinue her studies. Accordingly, the Hon'ble Judge directed that she may be kept under the Government Shelter Home and the matter was adjourned on 11-11-97 as a part-heard matter.