Mumbai: A 30-year-old man who did not know the whereabouts of his seven-year-old son was one day scrolling through a social networking site when he came across a bhajan video, in which the child was a participant. Only then did he come to know that his estranged wife, who had left home along with their son, had admitted the child to a Shrila Prabhupada Ashram, stating that she voluntarily wished to put him on ‘bhakti marg’.
The Bombay High Court recently ordered the ashram to hand over the custody of the child to his father.
Srikant Tambe (name changed), a resident of Mira Road, had married the love of his life, Anjali Mishra (name change) in 2014. Anjali delivered a baby boy in 2016, but soon differences started occurring between the couple.
In 2022, Anjali decided to leave her matrimonial house along with her son and proceeded to her maternal house in Uttar Pradesh. Whenever Tambe asked to speak to his child, he was told that he was unavailable.
Tambe Found Son Chanting Bhajans In Video On Social Media
In December 2022, when Tambe was strolling through some social networking sites, he came across a video posted by the Shrila Prabhupada Ashram, in which his son was seen chanting bhajans.
“Initially I was not able to recognise my son, as his head was shaved off and he was wearing some dhoti. However, my family confirmed my child’s identity. I immediately rushed to Udhampur along with the required certificates of my child and my identity details,” he said.
People at the ashram told Tambe that his wife had admitted the child there as she was not able to raise him singlehandedly.
“When I tried again that evening, I was allowed to meet my son, but just for two minutes. My child took a moment to recognise me, but later, he informed me that he has been asked by his caretakers to devote his life for the mission,” Tambe said.
Advocate Vishal Khetre, Tambe’s lawyer, who is also associated with the NGO ‘Dard Se Hamdard Tak’, said, “Srikant approached me seeking some remedy to get his son back, and I thought of filing a habeas corpus before the Bombay High Court. Accordingly, in May 2023, we filed for it. The court then directed the ashram authorities to appear before it along with the child. I informed the court that the child was taken away from the legal guardian without seeking his permission, which was illegal.”
Ashram Didn't Hand Over Child To Father
Khetre also informed the court that the ashram, initially, was not ready to hand over the child, as Mehta had informed them that she was a single parent and was not able to take care of the child. “It was surprising for us as Anjali had voluntarily taken away the child and later refused to take responsibility, despite the fact that Srikant was well off and could take proper care of his son,” he said.
The court presided over by Justice Revati Mohite Dere and Justice Gauri Godse, looking at the sensitivity of the case, decided to call the child into their chamber and ask for his opinion.
“When the seven year old was produced before the court, the child started searching for his ‘Baba’ and hugged him and cried. The child informed the court that he does not wish to go back to the ashram, but wishes to stay with his ‘Baba’,” Khetre added.
The court thus handed over the custody of the child to his father and asked him to allow the mother too to take the child to her house whenever she wishes to.
