'Morality, law separate': Allahabad HC says live-in relationship not offense
What's the story
The Allahabad High Court has observed that a married man living with another woman in a live-in relationship is not an offense. The court emphasized that morality and law should be kept separate while delivering its judgment, Bar and Bench reported. The ruling came during the hearing of a plea seeking protection for a live-in couple who were facing threats from the woman's family.
Legal proceedings
No offense under law, says court
The court, headed by Justices JJ Munir and Tarun Saxena, observed that the woman's family's claims that the man had kidnapped her were not established. The family alleged he did this to force the woman, aged 18, into marriage. However, the court ruled there is no offense under the law for a married man living with an adult woman by consent.
Protection order
Court directs police to ensure couple's safety
The court also directed the Superintendent of Police (SP) in Shahjahanpur to ensure the couple's safety and security. It restrained the woman's family from contacting them "directly or through any electronic means of communication or through...others" or entering their home. The court said, Superintendent of Police, Shahjahanpur, shall be personally responsible for ensuring the safety and security of the petitioners.
Police responsibility
Court highlights police's responsibility
The court noted that the woman's parents had threatened her with death, and both she and her partner feared honor killing. It stressed that protecting two adults living together is the police's duty. The court said no action had been taken on a complaint filed by the woman with Shahjahanpur's SP. The court issued a notice to the state for April 8 and granted protection to the couple in a kidnapping case registered by the woman's family.