Court said, it is necessary to keep morality and law separate

Prayagraj: Allahabad High Court has made an important comment saying that if a married man is living in a live-in relationship with an adult woman with her consent, then it will not be considered a crime under the law. The court made it clear that it is necessary to keep morality and law separate.

This comment was made by Justice J.J. The division bench of Justice Munir and Justice Tarun Saxena was hearing a case. The court granted interim protection from arrest to the two petitioners and stayed their arrest.

The court said in its order that there is no crime in which a married man is living in a live-in relationship with an adult woman with her consent. If no offense is made out under law then social opinion and morality cannot guide the court.

The matter came to light when the woman’s mother lodged an FIR, alleging that her 18-year-old daughter had been lured away by a man. However, according to the petition, the woman had said in the application given to the Superintendent of Police of Shahjahanpur that she is an adult and is living in a live-in relationship with the said person willingly.

The woman also alleged that her family members were opposing the relationship and were threatening to kill her, putting her at risk of honor killing. She also accused the police of not taking action on her complaint. After hearing the arguments of both the parties, the court has given two weeks time to file the counter affidavit and scheduled the next hearing on April 8. The court directed that no coercive action be taken against the petitioners till the next hearing.

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