‘Police have no power’: Andhra High Court directs cops to stay out of marital dispute

The Andhra Pradesh High Court has barred police from meddling in a marital dispute, emphasizing that "police have no such power" and stating that their role in civil or potential civil disputes between two individuals is outside their jurisdiction. The court's decision came in response to a plea by a 44-year-old man who accused the police of interfering in his family matter and demanding the production of his children.

The High Court ruling was issued on September 2, and it asserts that the judiciary is responsible for resolving civil disputes, and police involvement is not permitted under the Indian Constitution. The man claimed he married his wife in 2014 and they have two children from this union, but marital disagreements led to a complaint being filed in 2020 by his wife, who sought custody of the children through a habeas corpus petition in the Telangana High Court.

The woman also filed a guardianship and custody petition in a family court in Ranga Reddy district. The husband subsequently settled their disagreements and paid a significant sum for permanent alimony, yet his former spouse allegedly continued to harass him and his family, including his children. The wife's legal representative argued that she had filed a request for visitation rights, which was pending before the district court, and as a mother, she had the right to see her children.

However, the high court maintained that such disputes should be addressed before the specific court handling the matter, in this case, the district court handling the ongoing civil and matrimonial disputes.