Missing girl rescued, brought to HC; mother refuses to take custody owing to pregnancy

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The mother of a minor girl, who was reported missing for the last nearly two months before being found, has refused to take her custody owing to her daughter's six-week pregnancy, prompting the Delhi High Court to send her to a shelter home.

A bench of Justices Suresh Kumar Kait and Shalinder Kaur directed the city police to take the girl to 'Nirmal Chhaya' shelter home in Hari Nagar in the national capital.

The high court was hearing a petition by the girl's mother seeking directions to police authorities to produce her daughter, who was missing since September and was suspected to have eloped with a boy.

The petitioner told the high court that the girl was lured away by a neighbourhood boy who established physical relations with her and allegedly made indecent videos. A case was registered against him in September.

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On November 3, police informed the court that the girl has been rescued and her statement recorded before a magistrate. The girl said she was six weeks pregnant.

When the girl was produced before the court, the bench interacted with her and she told the judges about her pregnancy. She also showed willingness to return to her parents.

However, the girl's parents submitted it was not the first time that their minor daughter had eloped or become pregnant. They said they do not wish to take her back to their home.

"Since the victim girl has already been recovered by the respondent no. 1/ State, hence, the prayer made in the present writ petition stands satisfied.

"However, since the petitioner has refused to take the custody of her minor girl who is six weeks' pregnant, in the interest of justice, this court directs woman sub inspector Sonia who is present from police station Bharat Nagar, to take the minor girl to Nirmal Chhaya, Jail Road, New Delhi," the bench ordered. PTI SKV