HC reunites Veerappan daughter with husband

The Veerappans are back in news. On Wednesday,a division bench of the Madras High Court reunited slain forest dacoit Veerappans daughter and her husband after the latter moved the court alleging her mother,Veerappans wife Muthulakshmi,was preventing the couple from being together.

When Justices C Nagappan and M Sathyanarayanan considered the habeas corpus petition moved by Mariya Deepak,a 22-year-old graduate,seeking direction to authorities to present his legally-wed wife Vidya Rani,the court was not aware of the identities of the persons. The petitioner alleged that though he and Vidya duly registered their marriage with the local sub-registrars office,as is mandatory,her mother took her away under the pretext of attending a family function and had kept her in custody since then.

The case gathered much attention after it was known that Vidya was the daughter of Veerappan,the once-dreaded poacher and forest brigand who was gunned down by the special task force about seven years ago.

On Wednesday,Vidya was produced in the court by a local police inspector. She told the court that she wished to be with her husband,and pointed out that at her present age of 21 years,she was a major,capable of taking such a decision.

The court considered the submissions made by all parties and documents,including the marriage certificate,to order that the couple be permitted to live together.