The couple got married in February 18 last year. (Representational)
The Delhi High Court has re-united a 27-year-old man with his wife and child, almost a year after he was put under trial for kidnapping and raping her.
Ankit Kumar and his wife got married on February 18 last year. Hie was arrested on May 10, 2019 after the woman's father objected to the marriage and claimed that his daughter was less than 18 years of age at the time of marriage and was kidnapped.
After the arrest, the wife was sent to shelter home "Nirmala Chayya" in Delhi.
Ankit Kumar, a Delhi resident, was tried under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code and other sections of Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO). He was, however, acquitted of all the charges on December 11, 2019.
His wife, in the meantime, gave birth to their daughter at the women's shelter home.
Ankit Kumar then moved a habeas corpus petition before the High Court urging that his wife and daughter be produced before the court and sought permission to take them home.
He also contended that he has "not even seen his child, forget about caressing her".
A Bench of Justices Siddharth Mridul and IS Mehta on Wednesday asked the Child Welfare Committee (CWC) to decide on Ankit Kumar's plea within five working days and allowed him to meet his wife and four-month-old daughter during reasonable hours at shelter home.
"In the meantime, Superintendent, Nirmal Chhaya Complex, where the mother-daughter are currently lodged, is directed to permit the petitioner, Ankit Kumar, to interact with them at all reasonable hours, in accordance with law and the rules," the Bench said.