In a habeas corpus writ petition filed before the Allahabad High Court regarding the illegal detention of the petitioner’s friend by his father, a Single Judge Bench of Justice Sandeep Jain issued notice to the father and directed the production of the corpus on the next date of hearing.
The petitioner submitted that the 31-year-old corpus had, of his own free will and volition, renounced Hinduism and embraced Islam without any coercion, undue influence or inducement. Thereafter, the corpus solemnized marriage with a Muslim woman, against the wishes of his father (opposite party 4). Aggrieved by the conduct of the corpus, his father initiated a false and motivated FIR dated 06-06-2026 under Sections 5(1) and 3 of the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Act, 2021 and Sections 308(5), 351(3), 61(2), 338, 336(3), as well as 318(4) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, against the wife of the corpus and her relatives.
It was contended by the petitioner that the State authorities and their functionaries had facilitated the illegal detention of the corpus at the instance of his father, and that the corpus was deprived of his personal liberty while being kept in the illegal custody of his father.
The Court took note of the circumstances of the present case and noted that the allegations levelled by the petitioner, a friend of the corpus, were serious in nature, warranting immediate consideration. Hence, the Court issued notice to the father of the corpus and directed for steps to be taken within three days.
The father and the State authorities were directed to ensure production of the corpus before the Court on 16-09-2026. The Court stated that if the corpus is not produced on the said date, respondents 2 and 3 would have to file their respective personal affidavits disclosing the reasons for non-production of the corpus and steps taken by them to secure his production.
The matter will now be listed on 16-09-2026.
