Man moves HC in search of ‘wife’, woman denies marriage

NEWDELHI: A man approached the Delhi High Court in search of a woman whom he claimed was his wife but she refused to go with him telling the court that she never married him. The woman also denied the man’s claim that she was being illegally detained by her brother.

The woman reportedly told the court that the ‘nikahnama’ (marriage certificate) claimed by the man was not genuine as she was forced to sign blank papers after being taken forcibly in a car.

Bench of justices S Muralidhar and I S Mehta held that it was satisfied that the woman was living with her brother of her own free will and was under “no restraint or illegal detention”.

The court disposed of a habeas corpus petition filed by the man seeking direction to the woman’s brother to produce the woman, whom he claimed to have married on July 26, 2017, and said it was “not inclined to issue any directions in this petition”.

“This court would not like to enter into this controversy at this stage because as far as the habeas corpus petition is concerned, the court has to satisfy itself that the person whose production is sought by the petitioner is not under any restraint and is not being detained by anyone against that person’s wishes.

“In this case, the court is satisfied that as of date, the woman is living of her own free will with her brother and is under no restraint or illegal detention,” the bench said. The judges spoke to the woman and her brother in their chamber where she said that “no valid” marriage was performed between her and the man.