Disposed¶19

Sachin Manik Pandule v. the State of Maharashtra and Others

Bombay HC12 Feb 2026WP/172/2026

Case brief

AI extract

What is this about?

Keywords: missing girl; minor's custody; free will of minor; Child Welfare Committee Beed; Mahila Bal Kalyan Sudhar Gruh Beed; Ambhora Police Station; Taluka Ashti; District Beed; Sunil Mhaske; Machhindranath Gadh Savargaon; Sachin Manik Pandule; State of Maharashtra; Criminal Writ Petition; habeas-type writ; per curiam; Aurangabad Bench; Bombay High Court; order dated 05-05-2026. No statutes, sections, or cited precedents; quantum nil.

What did the court decide?

Police machinery directed to take the missing girl to Mahila Bal Kalyan Sudhar Gruh, Beed and, after permission of the members of the Child Welfare Committee, to hand her over to the custody of her mother the same day; petition disposed of accordingly. ¶19

Sachin Manik Pandule vs the State of Maharashtra and Others — Bombay HC (2026) — LawSathi Research

What the court decided

AI extract

Outcome

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Issue for consideration

With whom the missing girl, stated to be aged about 15 years and 11 months and presently in the custody of the Child Welfare Committee, Beed, should reside, having regard to her expressed free will to reside with her father, the petitioner.

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Court's answer

On interaction with the missing girl in chamber, the Court found that she clearly expressed her will to reside with her father (the petitioner) and that, for that purpose, she was ready to go with her mother and maternal aunt to their house.

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Ratio / Principle

Considering the free will of the missing girl, the Court directed the police machinery to take her to Mahila Bal Kalyan Sudhar Gruh, Beed and, after getting permission of the members of the Child Welfare Committee, to give her in the custody of her mother the same day.

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Detailed headnote1 paragraphs

Short dispositional order (per curiam) of the Aurangabad Bench of the Bombay High Court in a Criminal Writ Petition concerning a missing girl stated to be aged about 15 years and 11 months, produced before the Court by officers of Ambhora Police Station, Taluka Ashti, District Beed. Interacting with the girl in chamber along with her mother and maternal aunt, the Bench recorded that she had been taken away by one Sunil Mhaske but clearly expressed her free will to reside with her father, the petitioner Sachin Manik Pandule (currently bed-ridden after an accident), and to accompany her mother and maternal aunt. Since the girl was in the custody of the Child Welfare Committee, Beed, the Court, 'considering the free will of the missing girl', directed the police machinery to take her to Mahila Bal Kalyan Sudhar Gruh, Beed and, after obtaining permission of the Child Welfare Committee members, to give her into the custody of her mother the same day. Petition disposed of accordingly. Coram: Sandipkumar C. More and Abasaheb D. Shinde, JJ.; order dated 5 May 2026. No statutory provision or precedent case is cited.

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(1)

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968 Cri.WP-172.2026.odt

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IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY BENCH AT AURANGABAD

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968 CRIMINAL WRIT PETITION NO. 172 OF 2026

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SACHIN MANIK PANDULE VERSUS

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THE STATE OF MAHARASHTRA AND OTHERS

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Mr. S.B. Choudhari, Advocate for the petitioner. Mr. N.B. Patil, A.P.P. for respondent Nos.1 and 2-State.

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CORAM : SANDIPKUMAR C. MORE AND ABASAHEB D. SHINDE, JJ.

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DATED : 5 MAY 2026.

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Per Court :

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Heard learned counsel for the petitioner as well as learned A.P.P.

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The missing girl is brought before us by G.P.S.I. D.N. Satav and LPC V.L. Khandagale (B. No.1974) of Ambhora Police Station, Taluka Ashti, District Beed. We interacted with missing girl in chamber as well as her mother and maternal aunt. In interaction missing girl stated that she is aged about 15 years and 11 months and was taken away by one Sunil Mhaske with whom she got acquainted at Machhindranath Gadh, Savargaon. However, thereafter she expressed that she would prefer to stay with the petitioner, who is her father.

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On making interaction with mother and maternal aunt of missing girl, it is revealed that the petitioner has met with an

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(2)

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968 Cri.WP-172.2026.odt

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accident and at present he is bed ridden. Be that as it may, the missing girl has clearly expressed her will to reside with her father and for that purpose she is ready to go with her mother and maternal aunt to her house.

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However, learned APP, on instructions, submits that the missing girl is now in the custody of Child Welfare Committee, Beed, and therefore, she is required to be taken to Beed first and after permission of the members of Child Welfare Committee, Beed, she can be allowed to go with her mother.

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In view of the same and considering the free will of the missing girl, we deem it appropriate to direct the police machinery to take her to Mahila Bal Kalyan Sudhar Gruh, Beed and after getting permission of the members of Child Welfare Committee, she be given in the custody of her mother today itself.

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The petition is disposed of accordingly.

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Parties to act upon authenticated copy of this order.

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(ABASAHEB D. SHINDE) (SANDIPKUMAR C. MORE) JUDGE JUDGE

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VD_Dhirde

Sachin Manik Pandule v. the State of Maharashtra and Others

Case brief

What is this about?

What did the court decide?

Sachin Manik Pandule v. the State of Maharashtra and Others

Case brief

What is this about?

What did the court decide?

Why is it important?

What the court decided

Issues for consideration

Procedural history

Parties & counsel

Coram

Case details

All orders in this case

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