'Trace Them...': Supreme Court Orders Hunt For Russian Woman, Child
In a rather unusual child custody case, the Supreme Court has directed the External Affairs and Home ministries to issue look-out notices for a Russian woman - Victoria Basu - who has allegedly absconded with a five-year-old son from her marriage to an Indian man, Saikat Basu.
A bench of Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi also directed the Delhi Police to 'trace the missing child without any loss of time' and hand custody to the father, who claimed Ms Basu and his son - who was with his mother per a custody deal - have been 'missing' since July 7.
The court also ordered Ms Basu's passport seized.
Further, border officials have been directed to monitor airports and ports.
And in another dramatic twist, the court also took note of the doubtful conduct of Ms Basu's counsel, who claimed not to know her whereabouts. Justice Kant shot back, "You people know everything... you think you can play with us? We will take counsels also to task... You wait..."
Mr Basu had alleged his estranged wife - divorce proceedings are pending before a family court in Delhi's Saket - had been seen furtively entering the Russian embassy in Delhi via the back gate earlier this month with luggage. He claimed she had been accompanied by an embassy official.
A photo allegedly showing Victoria Basu entering the Russian embassy.
He told the court he feared mother and child may have since fled India.
The bench also noted his allegation of an affair with a Russian embassy official; it is unclear if this is the same official who allegedly helped her enter the building undetected. The court has asked the External Affairs Ministry to request permission to search this official's home in Delhi.
Ms Basu's father is reportedly a retired officer with the FSB, i.e., Russian intelligence.
According to the father there was a custody deal in place that would see the boy spend three days a week with his mother. She took custody of the boy on May 22, which was the last time the Mr Basu saw him, he told the court. He claimed she was seen entering the embassy on July 4.
The couple initially met in China where the husband worked as an engineer for a software company and subsequently married in India in 2017.
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