PESHAWAR, April 23: The Peshawar district and sessions judge, Miftauddin Khan, on Wednesday directed the local police to recover twin infants of a woman petitioner allegedly in the custody of her husband and in-laws.

The court ordered the officials of Pishtakhara police station to cooperate with the court’s bailiff and recover the two children, Usmanullah Khan and Ahsanullah Khan, stated to be eight-month old.

The court fixed April 28 for next hearing with the direction to the police to produce the infants on that date.

The woman, Ms Fazilat, a resident of University Town, has filed a habeas corpus petition before the Peshawar district and sessions judge under section 491 of the Criminal Procedure Code, requesting that her twin sons should be recovered from the custody of her husband, Irfanullah Khan, his father Amanullah and his mother Ms Siraja.

The petitioner stated that she married Irfan in May 2005. She added that on Aug 19, 2007, she gave birth to twin sons. She claimed that their relations were strained and her husband divorced her on Feb 24, 2008.

The petitioner alleged that she was forced out of their residence by her husband whereas the two infants were retained by him and his parents. The woman stated that the boys were suckling babies and they could not live without their mother. She added that under the law it was her right to retain the two infants, but her husband and in-laws had been keeping them in illegal custody.

Meanwhile, the court issued non-bailable arrest warrants of four persons charged with keeping a minor in illegal custody.

The judge, Mr Miftauddin Khan, fixed April 29 for next hearing with the direction to the officials of the concerned C-Division police station to produce the said four persons along with the detained boy.

The court issued the orders in a habeas corpus petition filed by Islam Bibi, a resident of Akora Khattak in Nowshera.

She alleged that few days ago her 15-year-old son, Wali Mohammad, was taken away by four of her relatives including Niaz Mohammad and his three sons Tawas Khan, Ayaz and Fayyaz.