SC alarmed as Russian woman leaves India with child amid custody dispute
A bench, comprising Justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi, was apprised by Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati that, based on her IP address tracking, the woman was located in Bihar on July eight, then in Nepal, after which she travelled to the UAE and flew to Russia, reaching there on July 16.
The ASG clarified that final confirmation from airlines is awaited.
The Court noted with dismay that the child's Indian passport had been surrendered before it, indicating potential collusion or diplomatic involvement in facilitating the exit.
'This is absolutely not acceptable to us at any cost,' Justice Kant observed, directing the Centre to file an affidavit confirming the woman's movements.
He further remarked, 'There is a gross case of contempt. A Red Corner Notice will have to be issued and diplomatic channels pursued.'
The bench directed authorities to submit an updated status report within a week and re-listed the matter accordingly.
Earlier, on July 17, the Court was informed that 'the Russian mother and child have vanished into wilderness.'
Despite stringent directions to the Union and Delhi government authorities to trace them and ensure they did not leave India, the mother's whereabouts remained unknown.
A day later, on July 18, the Centre reported that there was no record of her departure through legal channels, prompting the issuance of lookout circulars, hue and cry notices, and wireless alerts nationwide.
The mother had approached the Supreme Court in an ongoing custody dispute with her Indian-origin husband over their five-year-old child, who was born in 2020.
As per interim orders, both parents were residing in Delhi in separate accommodations, with custody split between them.
The May 22 order granted the mother exclusive custody three days a week and the father on the remaining days.
Recently, the father filed an application stating that his wife had been untraceable since July seven, after collecting their child from school.
She was not reachable by phone and neither she nor the child had attended scheduled medical check-ups or school.
It was also claimed that on July four, the woman was seen entering the Russian Embassy through a backdoor with a Russian diplomat, raising further concerns of diplomatic facilitation.
The Court had earlier warned that if Russian Embassy officials were found to have aided in the alleged escape, 'law will take its own course'.
The matter will now be taken up next week after the Centre files its affidavit confirming her travel details and outlining possible diplomatic measures to secure the return of the child to India.
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