- By Surarika Das
- Fri, 27 Mar 2026 03:56 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
The Allahabad High Court on Friday ruled that a married man participating with a woman in a live-in relationship is not subjected to prosecution. The high court stated this after a criminal writ petition was filed against the couple from Uttar Pradesh's Shahjahanpur. The writ petition was filed by the woman's mother for the act.
The High Court also stated its actions were intended to protect citizens' rights and could not be dictated by social opinion or morality. Consequently, the court ordered the police not to arrest the petitioner couple and also restrained all members of the female petitioner's family from causing any harm to the couple.
Additionally, the court said family members could not enter the couple's matrimonial home nor attempt to contact them directly, via electronic communication, or through a third party. The court held the local police chief personally responsible for the petitioners' safety and security.
The next hearing is scheduled on April 18. The order regarding police protection and protection from arrest was passed by the Division Bench of Justice JJ Munir and Justice Tarun Saxena.
What's The Case About?
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. The woman's mother earlier filed a case at Shahjahanpur's Jaitipur Police Station. She claimed Netrapal had, that morning, 'enticed' her daughter to go away with him and was allegedly assisted in this act by another man, Dharmpal.
The case was filed under Section 87 of the new Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).Anamika, 18, and Netrapal challenged that case in the Allahabad High Court, seeking to quash it while also requesting protection from the court.
The High Court stated that the petitioners are both adults and are currently in a consensual live-in relationship, and it was argued the first petitioner—i.e., Anamika—is, in fact, of age since the case filed by her mother says she is 18 years old.
The 18-year-old woman's mother argued that the man is married and is cohabiting with another woman, claiming it's a criminal offense on the man's side.
However, at the hearing, the court said there is no criminal offense under which Netrapal could be charged if he is, indeed, in a consensual live-in relationship with another adult.
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Couple Worries About Honor Killing
The petitioners also raised concerns on the possibility of 'honour killing'; the first petitioner said members of her family, including her parents, had issued death threats, NDTV reported. It is the duty of the police to ensure the safety and security of these two consenting adults living together, the court said, assigning specific responsibilities as mandated by the Supreme Court in its 2018 Shakti Vahini vs. Union of India and Others judgment.