The Allahabad Court has delivered a landmark verdict, ruling that it is not a crime for a married man to live with another woman. The judgment has sparked nationwide discussion, as the court clarified the distinction between legal provisions and societal morality.
The case involves an 18-year-old woman from Shahjahanpur, Uttar Pradesh, who was in a live-in relationship with a 30-year-old married man with four children. The woman’s mother approached the police, alleging that the man had kidnapped her daughter under the pretext of marriage. Concerned for their safety, the couple turned to the High Court for protection, prompting judicial scrutiny of the matter.
The bench, comprising Justice JJ Munir and Justice Tarun Saxena, emphasized that while society may frown upon such relationships, the law does not criminalize two consenting adults living together. The court clarified that cohabitation with mutual consent does not amount to kidnapping or fall under any criminal provision. It stressed that judicial decisions must follow the law, not societal opinions.
The court further directed that the police are responsible for safeguarding the couple, ensuring that neither family members nor others harass them or attempt to intrude into their home. It explicitly warned the young woman’s family against intimidation or threatening actions toward the couple.
Additionally, the woman’s lawyer highlighted that only a husband’s first wife has the legal right to question such a relationship, not the family of the second partner. Acknowledging the couple’s fear for their lives, the court instructed the Shahjahanpur SP to provide full protection and ensure that they are not arrested until further orders are issued.