Venkatasubba Rao, J.

1. This is an application made under Section 491 of the Criminal Procedure Code. It is in the nature of an application for habeas corpus. The applicant is the mother of the girl who is said to be illegally detained. There was some dispute as regards the age of this girl, and there was conflicting medical testimony on the point. But Mr. A. Krishnaswami Aiyar who appeared for the girl as well as for her step-sister (from whose custody the minor girl was produced) agreed to proceed with the application on the footing that the age of the girl was a little over 17 and under 18. The parties belong to a wealthy Gramani family residing at Kodambakkam outside the Municipal limits of Madras. The members of this family have shown themselves extremely litigious and repeated applications have been made before this Court from time to time in regard to disputes that have arisen between them. It is unnecessary to go into these various matters, because the more essential of the facts can be brought within a very small compass. The applicant left the family house or was compelled to leave it about a year or two ago, and the girl has been continuing to live with her step-sist