The Supreme Court on Thursday directed the issuance of a lookout notice for a Russian woman in a unique case related to child custody. The woman has been missing with the child since May 7. The Supreme Court has ordered the Center and the Delhi government to find both of them.
Saikat Basu of Indian origin was an engineer in a software company in China. There he met a Russian woman named Victoria. Both came to India and got married in 2017. In 2020, the couple had a son.
The couple decided to separate after a few years. Their divorce case is going on in a family court in Saket, Delhi. The husband alleges that there was an agreement for the custody of the child, under which the son would stay with his mother three days a week.
The couple had been living in separate houses in Delhi after joint custody of the child was granted. The couple used to accuse each other regarding the better upbringing of the child. Both had also filed a petition in the Supreme Court regarding the custody of the child, which was also heard several times.
A bench of Justice Suryakant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi said that the Russian woman Victoria should not leave the country. The court ordered to find the mother and child and hand over the child to his Indian father. The court was told that the Russian woman and the child have disappeared in the forest.
On the other hand, the family suspects that Victoria was trying to return to Russia and was engaged in spying in India here. The woman has been living in India since 2019. She came to India on an X-1 visa.
Saikat last saw woman on May 22
On May 22, the Russian woman got the custody of the child for three days. According to Saikat, that day was the last time he saw his son. There is no trace of the Russian woman and her child since July 7. The woman is not at her home. Her phone is also switched off.
Victoria always pressured her husband to take her to Fort William
Saikat Basu's father has been an officer in the Indian Navy. At the same time, Victoria's father is a former employee of the Russian intelligence agency. After marriage, Victoria always pressured her husband Saikat to take her to Fort William, the headquarters of the Army's Eastern Command in Kolkata.
The family suspects that Victoria wanted to return to Russia after spying on India here. The family has appealed to the Supreme Court that the central government should confiscate Victoria's passport.
Russian woman was seen entering the Russian Embassy through the back door
Saikat alleges that on July 4, the Russian woman was seen entering the Russian Embassy through the back door with a Russian diplomat. The husband claims that the woman is having an affair with a Russian diplomat.
Russian woman's lawyers claimed they did not know her address
The Supreme Court requested the address of the Russian woman from her lawyers, but they claimed they did not know it. The court expressed skepticism about their statements. Justice Suryakant addressed the lawyers, saying, "You all know everything. Do you think you can play with us? We will also seek answers from the lawyers. Just wait."
Legal action will be taken against officials of Russian Embassy: SC
The court also warned that if the officials of the Russian embassy are found to be involved in helping the woman flee the country or hiding her, legal action will also be taken against them. The court ordered the immediate seizure of the Russian woman's passport and a search of the house of the Russian diplomat who was last seen with the Russian woman.
Prakash Kumar Pandey