Sanjay Kumar Das v. Director General of Police, Cuttack
Habeas corpus – Writ petition (WPCRL No.15 of 2025) by father of a missing girl
Case brief
What is this about?
Orissa High Court at Cuttack, WPCRL No.15 of 2025, Sanjay Kumar Das v. Director General of Police, Odisha, Cuttack and others, order dated 24.03.2025 (Arindam Sinha, Acting Chief Justice and M.S. Sahoo, J.). Habeas corpus petition by father of missing major girl; police instruction of 23.03.2025 reported girl last at a Goa hotel with Adity Sonkar (night of 23rd-24th January, 2025); Court held a major is free to decide her movements and company, presumed switched-off mobiles were her choice, found no case of kidnap, declined habeas corpus relief and disposed of the writ petition. No statute or precedent cited.
What did the court decide?
The missing girl has attained majority and is free to decide on her movements and company; the Court presumes that the mobile phones being switched off is at her instance, as she alone knows the police are searching for her.