[Cites 2, Cited by 0]
Jharkhand High Court
Ranjeet Singh vs The State Of Jharkhand And Ors on 27 February, 2026
Author: Sujit Narayan Prasad
Bench: Sujit Narayan Prasad, Sanjay Prasad
IN THE HIGH COURT OF JHARKHAND AT RANCHI
W.P. (Cr.) (DB) No. 102 of 2026
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Ranjeet Singh ... ... Petitioner
Versus
The State of Jharkhand and Ors. ... ... Respondents
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CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE SUJIT NARAYAN PRASAD
HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE SANJAY PRASAD
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For the Petitioner : Ms. Khushboo Kumari, Advocate
For the Resp.-State : Mr. Sachin Kumar, AAG-II
Mr. Ashwini Bhushan, AC to Sr. SC-II
For the Resp.-RINPAS: Dr. Ashok Kumar Singh, Adv
: Mr. Sharon Toppo, Advocate
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th
03/Dated: 27 February, 2026
1. The instant writ petition has been filed seeking issuance
of a writ in the nature of habeas corpus for the following
reliefs:
"I.For issuance of an appropriate writ(s), Order(s), or
Direction(s) of habeas corpus directing upon the
respondents for immediate release of the victim girl aged
about 41 years, who is a mentally sound individual and
has been illegally instituted in DAVIS Institute of
Psychiatry/RINPAS, Ranchi, without following due
procedure of law under the Mental Healthcare Act,
2017.
II.For issuance of an appropriate writ(s)/
order(s)/Direction(s) upon the state government for
providing adequate compensation for illegal confinement
of a mentally sound individual in mental asylum for
about one year and five months till date."
2. The case of illegal detention has been made out by the
fiancé, the writ petitioner herein, based upon the
following averments, as is available in the writ petition,
which reads as under:
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3. The petitioner [fiancé of the corpus] met with the victim
girl (corpus) who is aged about 41 years in the year
2023 through a matrimonial site for the purpose of
marriage and after several meetings they found
themselves compatible for each other and have decided
to get married after which they have communicated
their decision to their parents and family members to
which they agreed and not only that with due
participation and blessings of the family members from
both sides, Roka ceremony was performed on
17.09.2023 and further Sagun was decided to be
performed and the same was executed on 19.10.2023
with due participation and blessings of all the family
members from both sides including the mother of the
victim girl (corpus) and also „Sawan ka Tyohaar‟ was
celebrated on 26.07.2024 and on the same date their
marriage was fixed to be solemnized in the month of
October 2024. The celebration of Roka; Sagun; and
Sawan Ka Tyohaar‟ has been supported by
photographs, which has been annexed as Annexure 1
series to the writ petition.
4. It has been submitted that after the aforesaid rituals,
all of sudden the brother of the victim girl (corpus) came
from Australia on 02.08.2024 and called the petitioner
and said if you want to marry his sister then ask her to
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give up her share in her father's property as well as
Ancestral property, to which the petitioner replied that it
is her discretion whether she want to give up her share
in the property or not and he cannot pressurize her to
do anything and it is completely her own legal rights
and he cannot interfere in her personal or legal rights. It
is alleged that upon which the brother of the victim girl
got aggressive and started abusing the petitioner and
asked him not to marry his sister otherwise he along
with his family members will not only file case against
the petitioner but also threatened to kill both of them.
5. It is further pleaded in the writ petition that on
27.08.2024 one Mr. Lalan Singh of Kadma Police Station
called the petitioner and asked to visit Police Station.
When the petitioner visited Police station along with the
victim girl [corpus] and his family members, they found
the mother of the victim girl was already present there
alleging false and baseless allegations against the
petitioner and even started misbehaving badly with her
own daughter (victim girl) [corpus] in public place, upon
which the victim girl in presence of Mr. Lalan Singh of
the said Police station retaliated the behavior of her
mother and clearly stated that she will marry the
petitioner and it is their rights to take decision of her
own life as they are major and mature enough for
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consequences of marital obligation, but it is alleged that
even being well to understand the known of the entire
incident Mr. Lalan Singh did not register any FIR
regarding the incident taken place at Police Station and
even on repeated request made by the petitioner and the
victim girl it has been stated that "You both should go to
your concerned police station and get the FIR registered
there and I will not register any FIR here".
6. It is further contended that even after getting outside
the police station, the mother and father of the victim
girl (corpus) abused and threaten her and took her to
their house.
7. It is contended that the victim girl (corpus) told the
petitioner that her parents are harassing and abusing
her and threatening to kill her, as such they decided to
get married for which they went to the Registry Office on
04.09.2024 and applied for Court Marriage with Token
No. 05 of 2024, copy of which has been annexed as
Annexure 4 to the writ petition.
8. It is further stated that the petitioner and the victim girl
(corpus) went to the Birsanagar Police Station to get the
FIR registered but there also the concerned officer asked
them to go before Kadma Police Station and lodge FIR
there.
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9. It has been stated that on 09.09.2024 at 1.00 PM the
petitioner found the mobile of the victim girl (corpus)
unreachable and all her social media was stopped from
her side. Thereafter, the entire family of the victim girl
(corpus) started to give threats to petitioner to implicate
in false case.
10. In the writ petition, it is further stated that the
petitioner has tried his best to track the victim girl
(corpus) but did not succeed, as such he lodged
complained before the Sr. S.P., Jamshedpur vide
complaint dated 12.09.2024.
11. Thereafter, the petitioner was to go abroad to
attend his job on 20.09.2024 but thereafter, the police
personnel of Kadma Police harassed the family members
of the petitioner for which her grandmother filed another
criminal complaint dated 21.04.2025.
12. It is further stated in the writ petition that on 8th
September, 2024, just a day before the victim girl went
missing, the victim girl (corpus) sent screenshot of
messages of liquidation of Fixed Deposits worth Rs. 20
lakhs which shows the intention of financial takeover by
the family immediately preceding her confinement.
13. It is further stated in the writ petition that when
the petitioner returned to his home after discharging his
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duty from Merchant Navy, he came to know that an FIR
has been instituted against him by the mother of the
victim (corpus) being Kadma P.S. Case No. 06 of 2025
alleging therein that victim girl was mentally abnormal
since 2011. In September, 2024 due to severe
deterioration in her mental health condition the mother
of the victim girl admitted her to mental Hospital,
Kanke, Ranchi and got the phone of the victim girl from
which she got the obscene videos of her daughter, which
was sent by the petitioner. The informant [mother of the
corpus] further alleged therein that her daughter victim
girl (corpus) was sexually exploited by the petitioner and
when she became pregnant, the petitioner herein
forcefully got her aborted and repeatedly fed her
contraceptive pills due to which the victim's mental
condition was worsened. It is further alleged that it is
the petitioner herein who has taken away the original
documents of informant's house by luring the victim girl
(corpus).
14. It is stated that initially the victim (corpus) was
admitted in Davis Institute of Psychiatry, Boreya Road,
Block Chowk, Kanke, District Ranchi and subsequently
in the RINPAS, Kanke, Ranchi where she was treated
and was diagnosed with „unspecified non-organic
psychosis‟.
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15. In the aforesaid backdrop, the present writ petition
has been filed by the writ petitioner for direction upon
the State to produce the victim girl considering threat
upon her life for the property dispute.
16. The matter was heard by this Court on 26th
February, 2026 and on consideration of the submission
made on behalf of petitioner, as per the pleading made
in the writ petition, this Court has issued notice upon
the respondents.
17. Mr. Ashwini Bhushan, learned AC to Sr. SC II
waives notice on behalf of respondent-State i.e.,
respondent nos. 1, 2, 6 and 9. Dr. Ashok Kumar Singh,
learned counsel waives notice on behalf of respondent-
RINPAS.
18. However, notice was issued upon respondent no.-
7, the mother of the victim girl (corpus), to be served
through the Superintendent of Police, East Singhbhum,
Jamshedpur.
19. Learned State counsel has assured this Court that
he will communicate it today itself to the
Superintendent of Police, East Singhbum, Jamshedpur.
20. In such circumstance, the Superintendent of
Police, East Singhbum, Jamshedpur was directed to
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produce the girl [corpus] along with her mother in safe
custody on 27.02.2026 at 10:30 am.
21. The Director, RINPAS was directed to remain
physically present in the Court today, i.e., on
27.02.2026 at 10:30 am along with the entire
record/documents pertaining to the treatment given to
the girl (corpus) at the time when she was in the
hospital. For ready reference, order dated 26th February,
2026 is quoted as under:
"1.Learned counsel for the petitioner, at the outset, has
sought for leave of this Court to implead the Director, RINPAS
and Secretary, Health, Medical Education and Family
Welfare, Government of Jharkhand as party to the
proceeding as respondent nos.8 and 9 respectively.
2.It is a case where the jurisdiction conferred to this Court
under Article 226 of the Constitution of India has been
invoked for issuance of writ of habeas corpus on the ground
that a girl aged about 41 years was initially admitted in
Davis Institute of Psychiatry, Boreya Road, Block Chowk,
Kanke, District Ranchi and subsequently in the RINPAS,
Kanke, Ranchi even though she is not mentally unfit without
following the due procedure of law under the Mental
Healthcare Act, 2017.
3.The specific pleading has been made in the petition
supported by the photographs that whatever medical
certificates have been produced by the parents of the victim
girl, all are fabricated. It has also been submitted that the
said illegality has been committed only for the purpose of
property dispute.
4.It has also been submitted that even one criminal case has
been instituted against the present petitioner who happens
to be the fiancé of the victim girl and vide order dated
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24.09.2025 the present petitioner has been granted bail in
A.B.A. No. 3938 of 2025.
5.This Court, after having heard the learned counsel for the
petitioner, has called upon the learned State counsel to have
instructions from the RINPAS authority with respect to the
whereabouts of the victim girl in order to assess as to
whether the victim girl is still in hospital or has been handed
over to her parents.
6.The matter has been adjourned for few cases enabling the
learned State counsel to have instructions as referred above.
7.The case has been taken up thereafter and on instructions
from the RINPAS authority, Mr. Ashwini Bhushan, learned
state counsel, on instructions having been received from the
authority, has submitted that the victim girl (corpus) has
been released in favour of the mother on 16.10.2025.
8.Learned counsel for the petitioner has submitted that since
the petitioner is the fiancé, as such, is having no idea about
the release but if that be so, then also, she is in the detention
of the parents since the petitioner wants to solemnize
marriage with the girl (corpus) to which she is also in
agreement and being the major, she can do so.
9.It has been submitted that the respondent no.7, the mother
of the victim girl (corpus) on the issue of solemnization of
marriage with the present petitioner has admitted the corpus
to the mental hospital to have a declaration that she is not
mentally fit. It has further been submitted by referring to
Annexure-15 which is at page no. 97 of the present writ
petition which contains a certificate of a hospital running in
the name of Healing Minds issued by Dr. Pramila Purty
which is dated 20.03.2023 but as per the petitioner, the said
hospital has only been made functional sometime in the year
2025 as per the reference of the date made in the order
dated 24.09.2025 passed in A.B.A. No. 3938 of 2025.
10.This Court, considering the nature of allegation as per the
pleading made in the petition and in order to have a view, is
of the view that the girl (corpus) is to be produced before this
Court.
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11.Mr. Ashwini Bhushan, learned AC to Sr. SC-II waives
notice on behalf of respondent Nos.1, 2, 6 and 9.
12.Dr. Ashok Kumar Singh, learned counsel waives notice on
behalf of respondent-RINPAS.
13.Let notice be issued upon the respondent no.7, the mother
of the victim girl which shall be served through the
Superintendent of Police, East Singhbhum, Jamshedpur
today itself.
14.Learned State counsel has assured this Court that this
order will be communicated today itself to the
Superintendent of Police, East Singhbum, Jamshedpur.
15.The Superintendent of Police, East Singhbum,
Jamshedpur is directed to produce the girl along with her
mother in safe custody tomorrow, i.e., on 27.02.2026 at
10:30 am.
16.The Director, RINPAS is also directed to remain physically
present in the Court tomorrow, i.e., on 27.02.2026 at 10:30
am along with the entire record/documents pertaining to the
treatment given to the girl (corpus) at the time when she was
in the hospital due to the reason that the girl (corpus) was
discharged from RINPAS on 16.10.2025 as per the
instructions of the learned State counsel.
17.Accordingly, let this case be listed tomorrow, i.e., on
27.02.2026 as a first case."
22. Pursuant thereto, Mrs. Jayati Simlai, Director,
RINPAS and Dr. Vinod Kumar Mahato, Medical
Superintendent, RINPAS are physically present before
this Court.
23. Mr. Pravesh Chandra Sinha, Officer-in-charge,
Kadma Police Station; Mr. Pinku Kumar, S.I., the
Investigating Officer of Kadma P.S. Case No. 05 of 2025
are also physically present before this Court.
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24. In midst of proceeding, Mr. Piyush Pandey, Sr.
Superintendent of Police, East Singhbhum, Jamshedpur
have appeared through Virtual Mode.
25. This Court considering the gravity of the matter
has requested Mr. Sachin Kumar, the learned AAG-II to
assist the Court in addition to learned State counsel
who is assigned with the matter.
26. Let the name of Mr. Sachin Kumar, the learned
AAG-II appear in the cause list henceforth.
27. The Director, RINPAS and the Medical
Superintendent, RINPAS, have stated that the victim
(corpus) was hospitalized as indoor patient being shifted
from Davis Institute of Psychiatry, Boreya Road, Block
Chowk, Kanke, District and was also treated therein.
She was reported to be admitted in hospital on
26.06.2025 till 16.10.2025. Referring the Discharge
summary, he has stated that the mother of the victim
[corpus], namely, Amrit Pal Kaur has approached to the
RINPAS authorities and taken back to her daughter
[corpus] by putting her signature on the discharge
summary.
28. The Director, RINPAS and the Medical
Superintendent, RINPAS, have stated that as per the
procedure for discharge, if the family member of the
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patient approaches to the hospital authority then the
patient is used to be released considering the status of
the disease for which the patient was admitted and if
the gravity of the disease is not at such a grave stage
then taking into consideration the gravity of the disease,
and also considering the fact that well-being of the
patient can well be taken care by the family members,
such patient gets discharged. It has been stated that
considering the aforesaid fact, the corpus was
discharged with the instruction to have the follow up
periodically.
29. The Medical Superintendent, RINPAS, who is
present before this Court along with all medical report
along with the discharge summary of the victim
(corpus), which we have perused.
30. The RINPAS authority has further stated that after
discharge, the corpus has never come up for follow up
treatment.
31. Let the copy of discharge summary of the corpus
issued by the RINPAS be taken on record.
32. The police authorities, in terms of the order passed
by this Court on 26.02.2026, have also conducted
inquiry, and to narrate the same the Officer-in-Charge,
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in Kadma P.S. Case No. 06 of 2025 as also the Officer-
in-Charge are present before this Court.
33. Mr. Pinku Kumar, S.I., the Investigating Officer in
Kadma P.S. Case No. 06 of 2025, has stated that he
visited the house of the mother of the victim and get the
information that the property for which the entire
episode is alleged to be plotted has been sold out by one
Rajpreet Singh, S/o Sri Daljeet Singh @ Daljeet Singh
Phull in favour of one Amrit Shah and Seema Shah vide
registered deed dated 28th November, 2025, copy of
which has been placed before this Court.
34. It has also been informed to this Court that after
selling out the said property, they have shifted to
Punjab. It is stated that the police has further inquired
from the local people of that area whereupon they have
been informed that the maternal uncle of the corpus
lives in the Jamshedpur City. It has been stated by the
Investigating Officer that he has therefore contacted the
maternal uncle of the corpus by personally visiting him,
who has disclosed his name as Dilwender Singh residing
at Birsa Nagar, Jamshedpur and requested him to give
mobile number of the mother of the corpus which was
rang for once and twice, but later it was found
unreachable.
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35. However, when this Court confronted to give that
mobile number, which is alleged to be given by the
maternal uncle to the Investigating Officer, the
Investigating Officer has changed his version stating
that as a matter of fact, the maternal uncle refused to
give the mobile number of the mother of the victim
(corpus), as such he is having left no option to contact
the informant of Kadma P.S. Case No. 06 of 2025 i.e.,
the mother of the victim (corpus) but to contact with
mobile number available in the FIR of Kadma P.S Case
No. 06 of 2025, which was found unreachable.
36. Upon this, Court has confronted the Investigating
Officer, as to why he is changing his earlier version, to
which he has tried to justify.
37. In such view of the matter, this Court is of the view
that an enquiry is required to be conducted in this
regard, as to how an officer in the police department,
who is the Investigating officer of the case, can change
his version that too before the Court of law and further
even if the maternal uncle of the girl (corpus) refused to
give the current mobile number of the informant of the
case being Kadma P.S. Case No. 06 of 2025, he has not
proceeded with further investigation.
38. This Court, after having confronted with the
Investigating Officer of the case, has also interacted with
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Mr. Piyush Pandey, Sr. Superintendent of Police, East
Singhbhum, who has appeared through virtual mode,
has posed a question that when an F.I.R is being
instituted being Kadma P.S. Case No. 06 of 2025 at the
behalf of informant, the mother of the victim (corpus),
whose re-statement has been stated to be recorded but
for the purpose of further investigation the presence of
the informant is necessary, and if what has been stated
by the I.O. that the maternal uncle of the corpus has
refused to give the contact details of the mother of the
victim (corpus), the informant, then how the
investigation will proceed? This Court has also posed a
question will it not amount to interference with the
investigation if the investigating officer is requesting the
maternal uncle of the corpus to furnish the mobile
number of the mother of the corpus and on refusal why
it not be treated to be interference in the investigation
by the maternal uncle of the corpus?
39. This Court, considering the issue of the present lis,
which is being reflected from the pleading supported by
the medical evidence being corroborated by the Director
and the Superintendent, RINPAS, who is present in the
court that for a fairly long period the victim (corpus) was
admitted in RINPAS and subsequently, she was
discharged on the request of the mother of the corpus
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and thereafter there is no follow up treatment as per
advice of the doctor of the RINPAS, has passed order
directing the Sr. Superintendent of Police, East
Singhbhum, Jamshedpur to produce the girl (corpus)
along with the girl which is required to be complied
with.
40. The Sr. Superintendent of Police, East Singhbhum,
Jamshedpur has undertaken before this Court that he
will take all sincere endeavor to produce the corpus
along with the mother on the next date of hearing.
41. This Court, considering the sensitivity of the issue,
when the victim girl allegedly been hospitalized in the
Mental Hospital and now after being getting discharged
by her mother from RINPAS has shifted from
Jamshedpur to Punjab, after selling out the property
situated at Jamshedpur, is apprehending threat upon
the corpus, therefore, this Court was intending to call
upon the D.G.P., Jharkhand but since the Sr.
Superintendent of Police, East Singhbhum, Jamshedpur
has undertaken before this Court that he will take all
sincere endeavor to produce the corpus along with the
mother, hence, direction for appearance of the D.G.P.,
Jharkhand is not being made today.
42. In such view of the matter, the direction as
contained in order dated 26.02.2026 to produce the girl
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(corpus) along with her mother be complied with on the
next date of hearing.
43. The Sr. Superintendent of Police, East Singhbhum,
Jamshedpur has also stated that so far as the issue of
changed version of Investigating Officer which has been
made by him today in the Court as also conduct of the
said Lalan Singh, the police personnel deputed in
Kadma Police Station, as alleged in the writ petition,
shall be looked into by conducting enquiry against
them.
44. List this case on 11th March, 2026 as a first case.
45. The personal appearance of the Director, RINPAS
and Medical Superintendent, RINPAS are dispensed with
for the present.
46. Let the copy of case diary, containing the
investigation in Kadma P.S. Case No. 6 of 2025;
registered sale deed and discharge summary, as
produced in the Court be taken on record.
(Sujit Narayan Prasad, J.)
(Sanjay Prasad, J.)
27th February, 2026
Alankar/-
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