The Orissa High Court has allowed a father to take custody of his 15-month-old son observing that continuance of the custody of the child with the mother, who is now staying separately, would be detrimental to the child’s mental and physical development. The court’s direction came on the evidence of a video, showing the mother repeatedly torturing and beating the child.
A Division Bench of Justices S.K. Mishra and Savitri Ratho on Friday allowed a writ of habeas corpus filed by one Chakradhar Nayak of Puri district and directed Chakradhar’s wife Rosalin to hand over the child to his father within seven days. “In case of her failure to do so, the police shall take appropriate steps,” the High Court said.
