WPCRL/13/2026 of RANJU RAIMAN Vs UNION OF INDIA on 17 August 2026

ORDER

17.08.2026

08.

1. The instant writ petition was taken out raising a serious issue of a citizen of the country being kept in captivity by a citizen of Dubai and she was not allowed to visit the country of her origin.

2. The orders were passed from time to time upon the Police Authorities, as well as, on the Ministry of External Affairs. After persuasion from the side of the learned Deputy Solicitor General of India and the Additional Standing Counsel, the victim lady had been brought to the country. Even the petitioner proceeded on the last occasion that she was sent to Dubai without any passport or a valid visa, which raises further concern as to whether a person can be trafficked in such manner and it is the duty of the Administration to unearth in the event, any racket or a group of persons are indulged in such illegal activities.

3. We were given to understand on the last occasion that the passport and the other travelling related documents are within the custody of the Police, who are investigating in order to unearth whether there is any immoral and/or illegal trafficking operating within the country. We directed the Police Administration to produce the documents so seized and also the statement of the victim lady recorded under Sections 180 and 183 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 (BNSS). The documents have been produced before us, including the passport, which reveals that she went to Dubai and even came back once, under valid visa, and the entry in the passport corroborates the same. It, thus, ruled out the bold allegation of the petitioner that she was sent to Dubai without any valid document.

4. Our attention is further drawn to the Resident Identity Card issued by the Federal Authority, United Arab Emirates, which entitles her to be in a gainful employment within the said country. We had further gone into the statement made before the Police Authority as well as the Jurisdictional Magistrate, wherefrom we found that she was aware while going to Dubai for gainful employment but later on, because of the betrayal of her husband, she was emotionally shattered and intended to come back to India.

5. She further revealed that her employer also took her to Mumbai for 4 to 5 days and later on, she went back to Dubai. It is not that she was absolutely kept in captivity but was paid the remunerations/wages regularly, which she was sending to her sister, who is taking care of her children, after the betrayal of her husband.

6. We, thus, do not find that the allegation made earlier in the instant writ petition to be true and correct and the allegation as to the immoral and illegal trafficking as perceived in the initial occasion does not appear to hold water. However, we find that certain criminal cases have been lodged against the accused named therein, which would be expedited by the Police Administration.

7. We also ask the Additional Standing Counsel as to whether the said lady has divulged her intention with regard to the employment which she had. To which, it is submitted on instruction that she wanted to live with her children.

8. In view of the above and respecting the decision of the lady, we do not think that any fruitful purpose it would yield to keep the instant writ petition pending.

9. Accordingly, the instant writ petition is disposed of.

(Harish Tandon)

Chief Justice

(Chittaranjan Dash) Judge

Sisira Digitally Signed Signed by: SISIRA KUMAR BEHERA Reason: Authentication Location: High Court of Orissa, Cuttack Date: 19-Aug-2026 12:38:06 Signature Not Verified