The Kerala High Court on Friday adjourned the anticipatory bail petition filed by the viral Kumbh Mela girl and her husband to June 2, while extending its earlier interim order restraining their arrest until then. Justice Kauser Edappagath presided over the bench.
Background of the Case
The petitioners had approached the High Court fearing arrest in a case registered by the Madhya Pradesh police. The girl's father had lodged a complaint alleging that his daughter was kidnapped and that she was a minor at the time of her marriage.
Petitioners' Denial
Denying the allegations, the petitioners contended that they had met at a pooja ceremony conducted in Kerala in connection with a new Malayalam film. They fell in love and decided to live together, subsequently solemnizing their marriage on March 11 at the Sree Nainar Deva Temple at Arumanoor in Thiruvananthapuram.
Madhya Pradesh Police's Objection
Earlier, the Director General of Police of Madhya Pradesh challenged the maintainability of the petition, arguing that since the case was registered in Madhya Pradesh, the petitioners should have approached the Madhya Pradesh High Court instead of the Kerala High Court.
On Friday, Assistant Solicitor General S V Raju appeared on behalf of the Madhya Pradesh DGP and submitted that the victim belongs to a Scheduled Tribe community. Therefore, the offence under the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act would be attracted against the husband. As a result, he is not entitled to anticipatory bail in view of the bar under Section 18 of the Act.
The court has now scheduled the next hearing for June 2, and the interim protection from arrest remains in place until then.
