HC allows father to communicate with minor daughter on video call

The Delhi High Court Tuesday allowed a father to communicate daily with his four-and-a half-year-old daughter, who is in the mother's custody, through video call till the COVID-19 lockdown is lifted.

A bench of Justices Manmohan and Sanjeev Narula, conducting the hearing through video conferencing, was informed that the child who was earlier not willing to talk to her father, spoke to him through video call after the last hearing on May 8.

The man approached the court seeking a direction to the wife to comply with a consensual order passed by the court in April last year, according to which the father was allowed to meet the minor between 2.00 P.M. to 6.00 P.M. every Saturday and was allowed to speak to the child twice a week at a convenient time.

The couple is engaged in a matrimonial dispute and the child is in the custody of her mother.

The bench disposed of the plea, saying Keeping in view the aforesaid as well as the COVID-19 pandemic, this court directs that till the lockdown is lifted, the appellant-wife shall ensure that the minor child has a WhatsApp/Google Duo/Zoom video chat with the respondent-father everyday between 6.00 P.M. to 6.30 P.M.

It said that after lifting of the lockdown, the interim order of April last year shall be restored in its entirety and shall be complied with.

On May 8, the court was informed by the woman that it was impossible to comply with last year's order as the child was not willing to talk to her father.

However, the court had directed the woman to ensure that the minor has a WhatsApp/Google Duo/Zoom video chat with her father at least for half an hour every day. After which, the child spoke to her father by way of video call, the court was informed.