Woman moves Kerala High Court alleging that her lesbian partner has been detained by her parents

A woman has approached the Kerala High Court by way of a Habeas Corpus plea alleging that she was forcefully separated from her lesbian partner by her partner's parents. .The petitioner has prayed that she be reunited with her partner. A division bench of Justices PB Suresh Kumar and CS Sudha heard the matter on June 6 and directed the police to produce the petitioner's partner before the Court on June 19 when the case will be heard next.The Court also issued notice to the parents of the petitioner's partner and sought their response. .The petitioner-woman claimed that both she and her partner are from orthodox Muslim families and once their families found out about their relationship, they tried very hard to separate the couple. They had eloped and left their houses on January 27 but soon, relatives of both the women approached the police and a crime was registered. However, a Judicial First Class Magistrate Court considered the case and allowed the couple to leave together.They subsequently relocated to Ernakulam district but according to the plea moved before the High Court, the petitioner's partner was forcefully taken away by her parents on May 30 and is currently being illegally detained by them. The petitioner submitted that the police have taken no action in spite of her approaching them with several complaints. If no action is taken soon, she fears that her partner's family will subject her to conversion therapy and make her leave India, the petitioner said. "The petitioner respectfully submits that the detenue is under the illegal detention of respondents 5to 7 and their henchmen. She is ready to come with the petitioner. She has been mentally and physically tortured and even admitted in the mental hospital alleging that she is mentally ill. The petitioner apprehends that the detenue will be subjected to conversion therapy and would be taken out from India against her will. The petitioner apprehends threat to the life of the detenue," the plea said.The petitioner also alleged that the inaction of the police is due to political pressure. Citing the landmark judgment of the Supreme Court in Navtej Singh Johar & Ors. v Union of India that had decriminalised consensual homosexual sex, the petitioner asserted that she and her partner are entitled to live together as life partners. .The petitioner was represented by advocates Aneesh KR and Saurav B..Kerala High Court comes to the aid of lesbian couple forcefully separated by parents