Kumbh girl’s plea: MP cops question maintainability

Kochi: Madhya Pradesh police on Wednesday challenged before Kerala high court the maintainability of the anticipatory bail plea filed by the viral Kumbh Mela girl and her husband in connection with a case registered by Madhya Pradesh police based on a complaint by the girl's father alleging her abduction.Additional solicitor general S V Raju, appearing for MP police chief, contended that since the case was registered in MP, the petitioners ought to have approached the Madhya Pradesh HC instead of filing the petition before Kerala HC. The petitioners could only seek transit anticipatory bail from Kerala HC to enable them to approach Madhya Pradesh HC, and not regular pre-arrest bail, Raju argued.Meanwhile, the couple's counsel submitted that copies of the FIR had not yet been provided to them and that he would substantiate the reasons for approaching the Kerala HC. During hearing on Wednesday, the bench of Justice Kauser Edappagath orally observed that the court would not consider the matter on merits unless the FIR was produced. The ASG sought further time to produce the relevant documents, following which the court adjourned the matter to May 29 for further consideration. HC also extended its earlier interim order restraining the arrest of the petitioners until then.The petition stated that the couple met during a puja ceremony connected with a new Malayalam film, fell in love and decided to live together. According to them, their marriage was solemnised at the Sree Nainar Deva Temple at Arumanoor in Thiruvananthapuram. On learning about the marriage, the girl's father lodged a complaint before the sub-divisional officer (police) at Mandleshwar in Khargone district of MP, alleging that his daughter had been abducted and that she was underage at the time of their marriage on March 11. Based on the complaint, a case was registered by MP police.The petitioners produced a copy of the girl's birth certificate issued by the registrar of births and deaths of Maheshwar Nagar panchayat, along with a copy of her Aadhaar card, to support their claim that she was not a minor at the time of marriage. The husband further alleged that the case had been initiated at the instance of one of the girl's relatives, who was acting as her manager in dealings with film producers.