MOHD. RAFIQ Vs. STATE OF RAJASTHAN AND ORS.

JUDGEMENT

(1.) HEARD learned Counsel for the Petitioner.

(2.) THE Petitioner by this habeas corpus writ petition under Article 226 of the Constitution of India has approached this Court with the case that he got married as per Muslim Rites with detenue, namely, Jubeda Khatoon @ Sangeeta D/o Shanker Lal Prajapat (Respondent No. 4) on 29.05.2011, however, after marriage with the present Petitioner, the Respondent No. 4 lodged an FIR regarding missing of his daughter at Police Station Swaroopganj; and that he had taken forcibly his wife (Jubeda Khatoon @ Sangeeta) with him. The Petitioner claims that after marriage with Jubeda Khatoon @ Sangeeta, he is entitled for legal custody of detenue, Jubeda Khatoon @ Sangeeta; and now she is in illegal custody of Respondent No. 4.

(3.) HAVING considered the submissions made at bar by the learned Counsel for the Petitioner, this Court is of the opinion that detenue, namely, Jubeda Khatoon @ Sangeeta prima -facie cannot be said to be illegally detained by Respondent No. 4, Shanker Lal Prajapat, her own father. However, the Petitioner in any case has equally efficacious alternative remedy available to him viz. to approach the concerned Executive Magistrate under Section 97 of Code of Criminal Procedure Recently, a Coordinate Bench of this Court in the case of Shanker Nath v. State of Rajasthan and Ors. (D.B. Civil (Habeas Corpus) Writ Petition No. 5418/2011, decided on 17.06.2011) has taken a similar view, to which one of the us (Hon'ble Mr. Justice Narendra Kumar Jain) was also member.