Man accuses his minor daughter of theft, HC rejects plea

Express news service Posted: Mar 18, 2008 at 0227 hrs
Kolkata, March 17 The Calcutta High Court has dismissed a petition filed by the father of a 12-year-old girl alleging that his daughter was stealing money from family members under the influence of a 19-year-old boy. Both the boy and girl are residents of Tiljala.

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.

He said, if necessary, Mitra should take his daughter to a doctor for counselling.