Srishti Mitra, a Class VI student at a reputed English-medium school, started mixing with Atif Hussain a year ago. Initially, she would ask for money from her family and began stealing when she was turned down. She allegedly also stole her father’s laptop.

Worried about her, her father, Dr Ranjan Mitra, lodged a complaint at the Tiljala police station against Atif. When the police did not take any action, Mitra filed a petition in the High Court against them.

Mitra’s counsel, Dipankar Dhar, moved a plea on Monday that the security of the girl’s family was at stake unless the police took action against Atif.

The state counsel, Suman Ghosh, however, said the girl and boy were just friends and her parents were unhappy because of the relationship.

He said the police had managed to make Atif sign a bond saying he will not cause any trouble.

During the hearing, Justice Dipankar Dutta wondered how parents could give a lot of money to a child who was only 12.

Dismissing the petition, Justice Dutta said a father should control and guide his children.