HC orders release of Hyderabad woman, allows her to live with chosen partner

Telangana HC directs Shakti Sadan to release major woman, upholds her right to live with the man she loves; mother’s objections noted but petition disposed of.

Hyderabad: The Telangana High Court has ruled that a major woman from a Hyderabad couple has the right to live with the person she loves, and directed her immediate release from Shakti Sadan, a shelter home in the city.

Habeas corpus petition filed by man

A division bench of Justices Moumita Bhattacharya and Gadde Praveen Kumar passed the order while hearing a habeas corpus petition filed on behalf of a young man whose partner, a major, had been placed in Shakti Sadan run by the Kasturba Gandhi National Memorial Trust.

The couple, from different communities, had left their homes in Hyderabad and approached the Tukaram Gate police seeking protection after facing strong family opposition. Police, after speaking to both families, advised them to resolve the matter amicably and shifted the woman to Shakti Sadan.

Later, the man wrote a letter to the Chief Justice alleging that the woman was being unlawfully confined. The High Court treated it as a suo motu habeas corpus petition and took up the matter urgently.

During the hearing, the woman appeared before the bench along with her lover and her mother. She clearly stated that she did not wish to live with her mother and had decided to live with her partner of her own free will. The court accepted her statement as voluntary.

Major woman cannot be forced to stay in shelter: HC

The bench held that a major woman cannot be forced to stay in a shelter against her will and has the right to choose her life partner and live with him. It directed Shakti Sadan to release her immediately and allow her to live with the man she loves.

The court noted that the woman’s mother had raised concerns about the man having a criminal record, but clarified that if any unlawful incident occurs in future, she is free to approach the police and seek legal remedies. With this, the bench disposed of the petition.