Ranchi — The Jharkhand High Court on Thursday took a serious view of a young woman’s allegations against her brother living abroad and questioned the police over its inaction, directing them to act without delay.
Hearing a habeas corpus petition, a Division Bench led by Justice Sujit Narayan Prasad virtually summoned the Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) of Jamshedpur and asked why no First Information Report (FIR) had been registered despite a written complaint from the petitioner.
The woman alleged that her brother, currently residing in Australia, used his influence to falsely declare her “mentally ill” and forcibly admitted her to a psychiatric facility in Ranchi to gain control over ancestral property.
Expressing concern over the seriousness of the charges, the bench sought an explanation from the SSP on why no action had been initiated. The SSP assured the court that the complaint would be examined and appropriate steps would be taken.
The petitioner told the court she is living in difficult financial conditions with her ailing parents in a rented house in the Kadma area of Jamshedpur. She added that she is well-educated and continues to prepare for national-level competitive examinations.
She further claimed that her brother had their grandfather’s property transferred to his name through a gift deed and later sold it. To stop her from asserting her claim, he allegedly arranged for her forced admission to psychiatric institutions, including the Davis Institute of Psychiatry in Kanke and the Ranchi Institute of Neuro-Psychiatry and Allied Sciences.
Taking note of the gravity of the allegations, the High Court directed that the Secretary of the Ministry of External Affairs be made a respondent to help trace the brother abroad.
The bench also instructed the Jamshedpur SSP to ensure the safety and security of the woman and her parents, warning that any untoward incident would lead to personal accountability. Additionally, the court asked the counsel representing the petitioner’s mother to explore the possibility of an amicable settlement and submit an affidavit detailing any agreement before the next hearing.
Advocates Khushboo Kumari and Shailesh Kumar appeared on behalf of the petitioner.
With inputs from IANS