The Supreme Court on Monday said it would hear next week a plea filed by a 42-year-old spiritual guru against a Kerala High Court order that declined the release of his live-in partner from her parents' alleged illegal custody.
A bench of Chief Justice of India SA Bobde, AS Bopanna and V Ramasubraman said it would hear the case next week as the case is listed for hearing before the High Court tomorrow.
"We want to see what the High Court does," the Bench said.
The petitioner, a doctor by profession, has filed a Habeas Corpus plea before the High Court stating that the 21-year-old woman, his live-in partner and Yoga Shishya, was forcefully taken from his custody by her parents on October 26, 2020, against her will.
During the hearing, the CJI asked senior advocate Gopal Shankarnarayan, appearing for the petitioner, for evidence about his client's claim that he is a spiritual guru.
Sankaranarayanan contended that his client's antecedent has also been directed to be probed. To this, the Bench asked what is the proof regarding his client being a spiritual guru?
Bobde further asked whether the girl had made any complaints to the police alleging that she is under illegal detention of her parents. Sankaranarayanan showed a letter written by the girl to the State Human Rights Commission.
The spiritual guru has challenged an interim order passed by the Kerala High Court on January 4 refusing to order the release of the woman.
He said he renounced worldly life and separated from his wife and two daughters at the age of 42 and turned to spiritual practice on Vedantha Upshath.
The plea in the apex court said that the Kerala High Court order was passed despite the High Court recording the statement of the woman wherein "she had clearly stated that she was under illegal custody and stated that she was subjected to physical violence and she had expressed her intention to go with the petitioner, who is her spiritual live-in partner and acharya."
( With inputs from ANI )
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