The Delhi High Court grants custody of a 4-year-old to her Indian father after observing a real risk that the Russian mother may take the child out of India, defeating the legal process. The Court stressed that custody cannot become a tool to escape jurisdiction or “snatch” the child away from the father’s life.
NEW DELHI: In a significant custody ruling, the Delhi High Court has refused to grants custody of a minor girl child to her mother, upholding a Family Court’s order that the child will remain with her father. The Court made it clear that a child’s welfare and stable environment outweigh any general presumption that children below five should automatically stay with the mother.
In IT vs ANT the Division Bench of Justice Anil Kshetrapal and Justice Harish Vaidyanathan Shankar noted that there was a real and substantial risk that the mother a Russian national, as is the minor would leave India with the child, which could effectively cut off the child from Indian court jurisdiction and derail all ongoing legal proceedings.
The court has held that “Welfare of the child is the paramount consideration not the statutory presumption, and not the claims of either parent.”
The Court emphasized that default expectations do not apply blindly, especially where there is a likelihood of the child being taken abroad, making enforcement of any future custody or visitation orders difficult or impossible.
Facts of the Case
The parties were married on 10 March 2013 according to Hindu rites. The mother (Appellant), originally a Christian by birth, converted to Hinduism at the time of marriage. After the wedding, the couple first lived in Noida, and later shifted to Dehradun, Uttarakhand, where the husband’s family home and roots are situated.
In June 2021, the couple was blessed with a daughter, who was born in Russia and therefore holds Russian citizenship and passport, just like the mother. Shortly after the birth, the family returned to India and resumed residence in Dehradun.
However, the marital relationship deteriorated. The mother alleged physical and emotional cruelty, following which she left the matrimonial home. What followed was a pattern of unsettled movement she stayed temporarily in Delhi, took refuge in the Russian Embassy, moved to Gurgaon, and is currently residing in Goa, living alone with the minor child.
During this period, the mother began working contractually as a yoga and dance instructor, earning approximately ₹25,000 per month, with no stable or long-term employment arrangement. The father, in contrast, has remained in Dehradun, managing family property and living in a stable residential setting with support from extended family members.
In the meantime, the mother filed for divorce, while the father-initiated guardianship proceedings seeking custody under the Guardians and Wards Act, 1890. The guardianship case was originally filed in Dehradun, but was later transferred to Patiala House Courts, New Delhi, by an order of the Supreme Court.
Moreover, during the pendency of these proceedings, the Family Court twice restrained the mother from taking the child outside India; orders dated 27.07.2023 and 18.12.2023 after noting indicators that the mother may attempt to relocate abroad permanently.
This concern was later confirmed through a legal notice dated 25.09.2023, where the mother explicitly stated that she wished to leave India permanently and return to Russia, as she had no financial base or support system in India.
The mother’s categorical statement of having “no desire to remain in India”, combined with her foreign citizenship, unstable employment, and lack of permanent residence, formed the core apprehension before the Courts: that if allowed custody, she may exit India with the child, placing the minor beyond the effective reach of Indian courts.
It was in this backdrop where welfare, stability, and enforceability of court supervision were at stake that the Family Court awarded interim custody to the father, and the mother’s appeal against that decision was dismissed by the Delhi High Court.
Court’s Finding’s
The Delhi High Court upheld the Family Court’s decision granting interim custody to the father, holding that the child’s welfare, stability, and continuity of environment were of paramount importance, far above statutory presumptions or parental entitlement.
1. Welfare of the Child Overrides Presumption in Favor of Mother
The Court acknowledged that Section 6 of the Hindu Minority and Guardianship Act ordinarily place a child under five in the custody of the mother. However, the Bench emphasized that this rule is not absolute and cannot override the foundational principle of child welfare. The Court cited Supreme Court precedent (Sheoli Hati v. Somnath Das) to reaffirm that:
“The paramount consideration is the welfare of the child, not the legal rights or claims of either parent.”
2. Real & Substantial Risk of the Mother Leaving India
Central to the decision was the Court’s finding that the mother was likely to leave India permanently along with the child. This concern was not speculative, but supported by evidence, including the mother’s own legal notice expressing her intent to return to Russia and her lack of residence, family support, or employment stability in India.
This raised a critical jurisdictional issue: “If the mother left India with the child, Indian courts would lose control over the custody dispute altogether”.
3. Court’s analysis on both the parents’ capacity to maintain the child
The Court noted that the father: Has a stable residence in Dehradun, Lives within a family environment with support available for childcare, Has the financial means to provide education, healthcare, and daily care
In contrast, the mother: Was living a mobile, unsettled life, had no permanent home base, worked on temporary contractual income, was actively seeking to leave India
Thus, the Court found that: “Stability and rootedness of the environment in which the child is raised are crucial to her well-being.”
4. Practical Enforcement of Custody Orders Must Be Protected
The Court stressed that custody decisions must be enforceable. Since India is not a signatory to the Hague Convention, retrieving a child taken abroad can become extremely difficult, if not impossible. Therefore, preventing the child’s removal from India was essential to preserving legal oversight and ensuring ongoing protection of the child’s interests.
5. Child Has Already Formed Her Early Developmental Identity in India
The Court observed that the child has been living in India since infancy and uprooting her at this stage would disrupt her emotional and developmental continuity. This aligns with the Supreme Court’s view in Prateek Gupta v. Shilpi Gupta that the environment in which a child has already adjusted must not be disturbed without compelling reasons.
Final Observation of the Court
“The question is not who has the greater claim, but which environment best secures a healthy, stable and emotionally secure upbringing for the child.”
Accordingly, the High Court found no reason to interfere with the Family Court’s order and dismissed the mother’s appeal.
Explanatory table of sections/case laws cited in the judgement
| Law / Case Name | Citation | Principle / Legal Position | How the Court Used It | |
| Hindu Minority and Guardianship Act, 1956 | Section 6(a) | Custody of a child below 5 years ordinarily rests with the mother. | Court held this is not an absolute rule; welfare overrides presumption. | |
| Guardians and Wards Act, 1890 | Sections 7, 8 & 9 | Court may appoint guardian considering welfare of the minor as paramount; jurisdiction where minor ordinarily resides. | Custody decision was taken based on welfare, not parental demands. | |
| Family Courts Act, 1984 | Section 19 (Appeal) | Provides right to appeal against Family Court orders. | The mother’s appeal was maintainable, but dismissed on merits. | |
| Sheoli Hati v. Somnath Das | (2019) 7 SCC 490 | Welfare of the child supersedes parental rights; custody is not about legal entitlement. | Court relied on this to state welfare > mother’s statutory claim. | |
| Gaurav Nagpal v. Sumedha Nagpal | (2009) 1 SCC 42 | Courts must prioritize moral, emotional, physical, and educational welfare of the minor. | Cited to reinforce that no parent has an “automatic” claim over custody. | |
| Rosy Jacob v. Jacob A. Chakramakkal | (1973) 1 SCC 840 | Custody determination is not about parental rights, but about child’s welfare and protection. | Used to emphasize the Court’s parents patriae duty. | |
| Thrity Hoshie Dolikuka v. Hoshiam Shavaksha Dolikuka | (1982) 2 SCC 544 | Welfare is paramount, even where law lists father as guardian. | Reinforced welfare-centric, not rule-centric decision-making. | |
| Prateek Gupta v. Shilpi Gupta | 2017 SCC OnLine SC 1421 | When a child has settled in a particular environment, shifting them may harm emotional development. | Court applied this to note the child is already settled in India, and shifting would disrupt growth. | |
Case Details
| Case Title | IT v. ANT |
| Court | High Court of Delhi at New Delhi |
| Bench | Justice Anil Kshetrapal & Justice Harish Vaidyanathan Shankar |
| Case Number | MAT.APP.(F.C.) 55/2025 |
| Appeal Under | Section 19 of the Family Courts Act, 1984 |
| Underlying Petition | Guardianship Petition No. 37/2024 under Sections 7, 8 & 9 of the Guardians and Wards Act, 1890 |
| Impugned Order | Order dated 01.02.2025 passed by Family Court, Patiala House Courts, New Delhi |
| Date of Judgment (HC) | Judgment Reserved: 29 October 2025 • Judgment Pronounced: 4 November 2025 |
| Child’s Details | Minor girl, born 08.06.2021 in Russia, holding a Russian passport |
| Mother’s Status | Russian citizen, currently residing in Goa, working on contractual employment |
| Father’s Status | Residing in family home in Dehradun, financially stable, with family support |
| Relief Sought by Mother | Recall of restraint order and custody of child |
| Relief Sought by Father | Interim custody and restraint to prevent removal of child from India |
| Final Outcome | Appeal dismissed Interim custody continues with the father; mother retains visitation and video call rights. |
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