MADURAI: The Madurai Bench of Madras High Court has condemned the Madurai police for failing to register an FIR on a complaint filed by a Dalit woman against her in-laws for allegedly separating her caste Hindu husband from her within a few hours after their marriage.
M Sundaravalli (21), who is four-months pregnant, had filed a habeas corpus petition in the court to rescue her husband who, she claimed, was abducted by his family members from the temple soon after their marriage. She also expressed fear that her in-laws might murder her husband P Ramar to protect their caste honour, if he refused to marry a girl from their caste.
Though she had sent a complaint through courier to the Superintendent of Police, Madurai, and the Inspector of Police of Karuppayurani station on Nov 14, they failed to take steps to rescue her husband, Sundaravalli said in her petition.
When the Karuppayurani police produced Ramar before justices Ramasubramanian and N Kirubakaran of the division bench on Friday, Ramar denied marrying Sundaravalli. After recording his statement, justice Ramasubramanian asked the police why they did not register a case on a complaint from the petitioner.
When the police cited the jurisdiction issue, the judge condemned the police for the “irresponsible” reply.
“While the complaints raised by the petitioners are of serious nature, how can the police escape from the responsibility by citing the jurisdiction issue,” he asked.
Stating that it is a well-established fact that the police need not consider jurisdiction for registering an FIR, the judge directed the police to immediately file a case and posted the hearing for Nov 23. Later, when Express spoke to Ramar outside the court hall, he admitted that he was in a relationship with the woman when they studied together in college, but claimed he did not marry her. Ramar said he has not met Sundaravalli for five months.