The Supreme Court on Monday (March 9, 2026) directed the Central Government to trace the child, whom his Russian mother had taken with her to Moscow, and to make the child meet his Indian father virtually. The case of custody of this child was going on in the Supreme Court, but during this time the Russian woman took the child to Moscow. The woman is not in contact, so the court has directed the Center to trace her.
The bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi said that the whereabouts of the woman and her son can be kept secret and no efforts should be made to bring them back to India for the time being. The bench said that diplomatic efforts should be continued to reunite the minor child with his father virtually.
The Supreme Court also requested the Embassy of India in Russia to discuss the matter with the authorities there to trace the woman and the child for a limited purpose. Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati appeared in the court on behalf of the Central Government. He told the court that despite several efforts, including the meeting of the foreign secretaries of India and Russia and the Blue Corner Notice of Interpol, no significant progress has been made in locating the child.
This woman was living in India since 2019. She came to India on X-1 visa, which had expired. However, during the court proceedings, the Supreme Court from time to time directed to extend the duration of the visa.
On July 21 last year, the Supreme Court was informed that perhaps the Russian woman had left the country with her minor son through the Nepal border and perhaps she had reached her country via Sharjah. The Supreme Court described this situation as unacceptable and a case of gross contempt of court.
The child’s father alleges that his estranged wife is not following the court order related to the custody of the child. The husband says that he does not know where his wife and child are staying at present. The Supreme Court had directed on May 22, 2025 that the child would stay with the mother for three days – Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday – and the remaining three days with the father.
