Telangana High Court: In a Habeas Corpus petition filed by the petitioner (‘mother’) directing the respondents to produce the minor child suffering before the Court and hand over the custody of the child to the mother, the Division Bench of Moushumi Bhattacharya and Gadi Praveen Kumar*, JJ, observed that the child was suffering from 50 per cent disability and the mother did not have the means to look after the child. The Court therefore held that there was no illegal detention by the father and it would be in the best interest of the child to stay with him.
The mother and the father had been married since 2016 as per Christian rites and rituals and had a child out of the wedlock. The mother submitted that due to harassment and cruelty meted out to her, she had moved out of her matrimonial home in 2025 and had begun living with her parents. She also contended that the father and Respondent 8 had illegally retained the custody of the minor child without her consent.
The Court noted that the minor child suffers from 50 per cent disability and the mother has no means to maintain the child or look after his welfare. Additionally, the Court noted that the child is in safe custody of his father and held that it would be in the best interest of the child if the proceedings were not interfered with.
Thus, the Court held that the writ of Habeas Corpus was not maintainable since there was no illegal detention. However, the mother was at a liberty to avail appropriate remedy under family laws for interim protection and custody of the child.
[Digamarthi Sheeba Rani v. State of Telangana, W.P. No. 24485 of 2025, decided on 26-8-2025]
*Judgment authored by: Justice Gadi Praveen Kumar
Advocates who appeared in this case:
For the Petitioner: G Suresh Goud, Advocate
For the Respondent: Swaroop Oorilla, Government Pleader, Y. Balachander Reddy, Advocate