'Urgent Matter': Allahabad High Court To Hold Special Saturday Sitting As Inter-Faith Couple Goes 'Missing' Post Hearing

A bench of Justice Salil Kumar Rai and Justice Divesh Chandra Samant will be holding a special sitting on Saturday (October 18), a non-working day, to hear the habeas corpus plea moved concerning the allegedly missing couple.

"On the averments made in the writ petition, we find that the matter is very urgent", the Bench said as it directed the police authorities to produce the corpus, i.e., the petitioner no. 2 (Man) as well as his partner at 12 noon tomorrow.

In its order, the Court noted that though the following day was a non-working day, registry but should make arrangements for the special hearing.

"We are conscious that tomorrow is a non-working day. However, respondents shall produce the corpus in this Court.. and the office shall make necessary arrangements for the sitting of the Court", the order reads.

Background of the matter

According to the habeas corpus plea filed by one Tehseem, the matter concerns his brother (Shane Alam) and his partner, a 20 year old Hindu woman (Rashmi), both of whom are willing to marry each other.

The petitioners alleged that the two went missing from Prayagraj after they had appeared before the HC on October 15, 2025, in connection with several pending writ petitions linked to an FIR lodged by Rashmi's father alleging abduction of her daughter by Alam.

The habeas plea claims that the FIR is false, fabricated and lodged with mala fide intent to harass the petitioners as it asserts that the girl had left her home of her own free will.

The plea contends that the FIR was filed two months after the alleged incident (which allegedly occurred on July 30, 2025) and that this unexplained delay rendered the prosecution case doubtful.

The petition further submits that the couple had earlier been granted police protection by the High Court (on September 3, 2025) and despite this, the local police failed to protect them and instead harassed Shane's family by detaining his brother and relatives.

The habeas plea also states that the couple had appeared before the HC in connection with three related writ petitions filed by Shane Ali and his relatives on October 15, where the girl's statement was recorded and she supported the boy's case as she admitted that she was with him of her own choice.

However, after the hearing concluded, the plea says, Rashmi's father (Respondent No. 6) allegedly approached the couple along with several men within the court campus.

The plea states that the two remained inside the premises for some time and later informed their counsel that men were standing near all exit gates of the High Court. As per the plea, at around 5 pm, the couple reportedly left the campus in an e-rickshaw and soon after, contact with them was lost.

The petitioner further states that the matter was immediately mentioned before the Court that evening and the Bench had then asked the Government Advocate to alert the local police, directing that the couple "should not cross the border of the city".

Despite this, the petitioners allege that no effective steps were taken by the police and no FIR regarding the disappearance was registered.

Against this backdrop, the present petition was moved directing the authorities to trace and produce the corpus (Petitioner No. 2, Shane Ali).