The Kerala High Court has adjourned the anticipatory bail petition filed by the viral Kumbh Mela girl and her husband to May 29. Justice Kauser Edappagath, presiding over the bench, extended the interim order restraining their arrest until the next hearing date.
Case Background
The petitioners approached the High Court in connection with a case registered by the Madhya Pradesh police based on a complaint from the girl's father. The father alleged that his daughter had been abducted and that she was underage at the time of her marriage on March 11. The petitioners have denied these allegations, claiming that they met at a puja ceremony conducted in Kerala for a new Malayalam film, fell in love, and decided to live together. Their marriage was solemnised at the Sree Nainar Deva Temple in Arumanoor, Thiruvananthapuram.
Legal Arguments
During the earlier hearing, the Madhya Pradesh Director General of Police challenged the maintainability of the petition. It was argued 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. The DGP also contended that the petitioners could only seek transit anticipatory bail from the Kerala High Court to enable them to approach the Madhya Pradesh High Court, and not regular pre-arrest bail. In response, the petitioners submitted that copies of the First Information Report had not yet been provided to them, preventing them from properly challenging the case.
The court has now listed the matter for further hearing on May 29, with the interim protection continuing until then.
