HC allows couple to re-unite

Mumbai, Jan 22 (UNI) The Bombay High Court today allowed a girl, whose father had filed a haebus corpus application for producing her here and seeking her custody, to return to her husband residing in Nepal.

A division bench comprising Justice Ranjana Desai and Justice Vijaya Kapse Tahilramani heard the girl privately in their chamber before passing the orders.

Sarah Bardi alias Vaishali Karbhari had eloped with her paramour Sameer Bardi to Nepal, in September 2003, where she had converted to Islam in order to marry him.

Sarah's father filed a missing complaint alleging that Sameer had kidnapped her, following which the Central Bureau of Investigation and the Mumbai police started the hunt for her and Sameer.

However in the court, Sarah stated that she had willingly gone with Sameer since she was not minor and could take her own decision.

She alleged that her father was unnecessarily creating complications in her marital life.

In April 2002, Sarah, who was then a fashion-designing student from Kalyan, met Samir through a common friend. They fell in love and informed their families. Both families opposed the match as Samir was a Muslim, while Sarah was a Maharashtrian.

UNI