Tharad ‘honour killing’: HC stays probe against live-in partner

The HC also noted that while granting regular bail to one of the co-accused in the case, the Tharad sessions court made observations regarding the culpability of the petitioner in the case.

The HC order noted that Chaudhari was the complainant in the FIR registered at Tharad Police station in August against family members of the deceased victim (Express File Photo)

THE GUJARAT High Court (HC) recently granted ad interim relief to a 23-year-old man, in a case of alleged honour killing of his 18-year-old ‘live-in’ partner by her family in Tharad in Banaskantha, two weeks after the Tharad sessions court directed a probe against the man, Haresh Chaudhari, for abetment of the crime.

In an oral order delivered on Thursday, Justice MR Mengdey of the Gujarat HC granted ad interim relief to Chaudhari while issuing notice to the respondent state in the matter. The HC order noted that Chaudhari was the complainant in the FIR registered at Tharad Police station in August against family members of the deceased victim, Chandrika, of Dantiya village.

The HC also noted that while granting regular bail to one of the co-accused in the case, the Tharad sessions court made observations regarding the culpability of the petitioner in the case.

The HC order quotes the observations of the sessions court, which say Chaudhari was “very well aware about the fact that in the environment and society from where the deceased belongs, the act committed by the complainant is not acceptable by the society or family of the deceased…” and that the “mentality and customs” had led to the alleged honour killing. The sessions court also stated, “… when a young daughter of a family runs away with a married boy and lives in a ‘live-in relationship’, the respect of the family gets tarnished in the society and the environment and mentality with which the people of the family live, can commit such serious acts, yet he (Chaudhari) did so…”

The sessions court had further said, “The Investigating Officer should conduct the investigation keeping this aspect in mind and submit a detailed report in the context of the investigation.” The HC has granted relief to Chaudhari until the next hearing, slated for March 6, 2026.

As per the FIR lodged in August, Chandrika’s death likely occurred on the night of June 24, allegedly caused by hanging and her body was cremated the following morning and the family managed to obtain a death certificate in the case. According to the FIR, Haresh and Chandrika eloped on June 4 and signed a contract of live-in relationship at the Mirzapur court in Ahmedabad the next day. They then travelled to Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan. While they were at a resort in Rajasthan, the police arrived with a relative of Chandrika on June 12 and took her along with Chaudhary to Tharad Police station in Banaskantha. There, Chandrika was handed over to her relatives while Chaudhary said he was arrested in an old assault case and given bail. However, by this time, the Bhachau police arrived from Kutch and arrested him in a liquor case.

The FIR further stated that he received bail from court on June 21. Upon checking his phone, Choudhary saw messages from Chandrika pleading with him to “save her because her family wanted to marry her off and would kill her if she didn’t agree.”

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On June 23, Chaudhary’s lawyer filed a writ of habeas corpus in the Gujarat HC, leading to an order asking police to present her in court on June 27. However, Chaudhary said that on June 25, he learnt that Chandrika had died. He then wrote an application to the police seeking an inquiry into her death.

When the petition came up for hearing on June 27, the HC was informed that Chandrika had died. Thus, the bench of Justice Vaibhavi Nanavati disposed of the plea.