The Allahabad high court transferred the investigation into the disappearance of a 42-year-old woman to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) after the UP Police failed to trace her for more than two years.
The bench was dealing with a habeas corpus petition filed by Sudama Devi’s husband. The petition alleged that Sudama Devi was in the illegal custody of the fourth respondent Jameela Khatoon. When the matter was initially taken up, the court noted that the petitioner and the fourth respondent were in enmity, on account of which, the allegation of Sudama Devi’s illegal custody had been made. The court later directed the state to file a detailed affidavit disclosing the woman’s whereabouts. The state government counsel informed the high court that despite the best efforts made by the police personnel, the woman remained untraced.
The high court also directed the CBI to make all necessary efforts to trace the woman and produce her before it on December 1. Justice Sandeep Jain passed the direction on September 29 after noting that despite the best efforts made by the police, Sudama Devi could not be traced. The court noted that the woman had been missing since September 8, 2024, and that police registered a missing person report at Puranderpur police station in Maharajganj district the following day. It described her as a 42-year-old woman of unsound mind who did not have a mobile phone and stated that these circumstances made it difficult for the police authorities to trace her.
It further said that a complaint had also been registered at the concerned police station. In its affidavit, the state said a team of dedicated police officials had been deputed to trace Sudama Devi.
