Parents Assure Court They Won't Stop Daughter From Further Studies, MP HC Disposes Habeas Corpus Petition

The Madhya Pradesh High Court, Jabalpur Bench, has disposed of a habeas corpus petition filed by a father seeking production of his daughter, after the young woman, who had initially refused to go with her parents, agreed to return home following counselling and an assurance that she would be allowed to continue her studies.

A Division Bench of Acting Chief Justice Vivek Rusia and Justice Pradeep Mittal was hearing the petition filed by Mahendra Soni. The corpus was produced before the court by Sub Inspector Vinod Kant Singh and Lady Constable Naina Kashyap of Thana Barhi, Tehsil Barhi, District Katni, in compliance with the court's earlier order dated August 31, 2026.

The State had, in the meantime, filed a status report on the circumstances of the woman's disappearance. As per the report, no role was found of respondent no. 4, Mohd. Anees Khan, in the corpus going missing, and the role of respondents no. 4 to 8 had not been established in connection with the matter.

Despite the report, when the matter came up, the corpus was still not willing to go with her parents, who were present in court in person. The bench, noting the impasse, decided against a rushed resolution. "Let the corpus and petitioners sit together for 2-3 hours and have conversation," the court ordered, directing the Secretary, State Legal Services Authority (SALSA), to provide a mediator to facilitate the conversation between the daughter and her parents. The matter was then adjourned to be taken up later the same day, at 2.30 pm.

When the case was taken up again, the bench recorded a change in the situation. "With the help of Smt. Nirmala Nayak, Advocate, counselling has been made, and now the corpus is ready to go along with her parents," the order noted.

The resolution came with conditions attached, placed on record by the corpus herself and reiterated by her parents before the bench. The corpus submitted that she should be permitted to pursue further studies, and that her parents would only take decisions concerning her future for her betterment, with no outsider allowed to interfere in what the order described as their "domestic matter." Her parents, present in court, gave their assurance in turn, undertaking that they would not stop her from pursuing further studies and would take care of her interest going forward.

Recording this resolution, the bench disposed of the writ petition. "In view of above, this petition is disposed of," the order stated, bringing the proceedings, which had earlier required the intervention of the police to produce the corpus and a court-facilitated mediation to end the standoff, to a close.

Advocate Anupam Soni appeared for the petitioner, while Dr. S. S. Chouhan, Government Advocate, represented the State. Advocates Arpan Shrivastava and Krishn Kumar Dwivedi appeared for respondent no. 4, Aditya Pandey for respondent no. 5, Akshay Jha for respondent no. 6, Teekaram Patel for respondent no. 7, and Akhand Pratap Singh for respondent no. 8.

Case Title: Mahendra Soni v. The State of Madhya Pradesh and Others

Date of Order: September 8, 2026

Bench: Acting Chief Justice Vivek Rusia and Justice Pradeep Mittal