Rajasthan High Court Closes Advocate's Missing Daughters Case After Girls Traced In Lucknow, Express Desire To Stay There To 'Pursue Dreams'

The court was hearing the habeas corpus petition filed by Jaipur-based Advocate Avdesh Kumar Purohit, whose two minor daughters were missing from Lai C. M. Senior Secondary School, Kartarpura, Jaipur since Feb 3, 2022. An FIR was also lodged on the same day.

A division bench of Justice Pankaj Bhandari and Justice Birendra Kumar, observed,

"Petitioner who is present in person in the Court has agreed to help his daughters in fulfilling their dreams and has agreed to take them to Lucknow on 07.04.2022. It is expected from the petitioner that he would comply with the wishes of his daughters and take them to Lucknow on 07.04.2022."

During the course of hearing, the court examined the minor daughters, whereby the daughters stated that they went on their own without informing their parents to fulfil their dreams. The girls further stated before the court that their parents have agreed to their wishes, to take them to Lucknow where they both want to stay. It was also stated that on the aforesaid condition, they are willing to go with the petitioner-father.

The division bench opined,

"We have examined the corpus. One of the corpus would be turning major after ten days and the other corpus is aged sixteen years. Both have stated that they went on their own without informing their parents to fulfill their dreams. The girls have stated that now their parents have agreed to fulfill their dreams and take them to Lucknow where both the girls want to stay and fulfill their dreams. On the above condition they are willing to go with the petitioner."

The court noted that the petitioner has ensured that no misbehaviour or harm would be caused to the girls. On the aforesaid assurance, the court ordered to hand over the girls to the petitioner-father.

While disposing of the habeas corpus petition, the court appreciated the sincere efforts taken by the Police Force in tracing and recovering the girls.

Previous Developments:

Rajasthan High Court Directs State To 'Intensify' Action To Trace Advocate's Missing Daughters, Govt Constitutes SIT

Rajasthan Bar Protests Against State's Failure To Trace Advocate's Missing Daughters

Adv. Anil Kumar Upman and Adv. Bhuvnesh Sharma appeared on behalf of the petitioner, while G.A.-cum-AAG G.S. Rathore and Addl. G.A. Alka Bhatnagar appeared on behalf of the respondents. The petitioner-father Avadesh Kumar Purohit was also present in person.

Further, Mr. Mridul Kachawa, IPS Mr. Bhopal Singh, ACP, Sodala Mr. Sajjan Singh, S.H.O., Mahesh Nagar Ms. Amrita, S.H.O., Mahila Thana and Ms. Saroj Choudhary, MFC 2013 were also present during the course of hearing.

Case Title: Avadesh Kumar Purohit v. State Of Rajasthan

Citation: 2022 LiveLaw (Raj) 127