The Bombay High Court criticized the Maharashtra police for their "superficial" investigation into the case of a woman who disappeared three months ago after traveling to Rajasthan, leaving her baby behind.

A division bench of Justices Bharati Dangre and Manjusha Deshpande instructed the superintendent of police in Kolhapur to collaborate with his counterpart in Jalod, Rajasthan, to locate the missing woman and present her in court on June 20.

The bench expressed disbelief that the police forces of both Maharashtra and Rajasthan had been unable to trace the woman.

The bench was hearing a habeas corpus petition filed by the woman's husband from Kolhapur. He claimed that his wife was being detained by her father, who disapproved of their inter-caste marriage.

According to the plea, the couple married in February 2022 and welcomed a baby boy in November 2023. In February this year, the woman received information from a family member that her father was unwell and wanted to see her. She traveled to Rajasthan to visit her father, leaving her infant son with her husband. However, when she failed to return and her husband was unable to contact her, he filed a police complaint and subsequently a plea in court.

Last month, the high court directed the Kolhapur police to travel to Rajasthan to locate the woman. On Tuesday, the police's advocate reported to the court that the police had visited the woman's residence in Rajasthan but were unable to find her. They recorded statements from her grandparents, who were present in the house, as well as from neighbors. However, the bench remarked that merely recording the grandparents' statements was insufficient.

"The police have to be told how to inquire? Grandfather said she's not there, so you came back?" the court said.

The bench said the police should be considerate of the infant, who was without his mother for three months.

"It is difficult to believe that the police of two states have been unable to find the girl. It's unbelievable. Your (police) methodology is simple. You go and ask the grandparents. Is this the way? Since when the police have become polite?" the bench asked.

"After the court order, the phones (of the woman and her parents) are switched off. You don't know how to trace that? I thought the Maharashtra police was the best. Have mercy on the three-month-old child without a mother," the court said.