Side effects of marital discord: Father 'kidnaps' son, HC issues NBW

In a bizarre turn of events, a man facing a domestic violence case allegedly kidnapped his four-year-old son and sent the minor to the Delhi High Court with a lawyer which prompted the infuriated judges to issue a non-bailable warrant against him for not appearing before it in person.

A bench of justices S Muralidhar and I S Mehta also ordered freezing of the bank accounts of the man, who had allegedly forcibly taken his son away from his school in Dwarka on March 31 and then instead of appearing in person, with the child, he sent the minor to the high court today with a lawyer by authorising the advocate to act as a guardian.

Irked by the conduct of the man, who is facing the case filed by his estranged wife in a trial court, the bench also issued a notice to him asking to show cause why criminal contempt action be not taken against him for violation of orders of the high court and a metropolitan magistrate.

Meanwhile, Delhi Police, represented by its standing counsel Rahul Mehra, told the bench that it has set up a special investigation team to trace the man.

The high court had yesterday directed the man to appear before it in person with his son and had warned that violation of the direction would lead to issuance of a non-bailable warrant against him.

The order of the high court came on the wife's habeas corpus plea claiming that her husband has kidnapped their son from school in violation of the magisterial court's decision to grant him only visitation rights.

She moved the high court on April 6 apprehending that her husband might leave the country with their son. The woman had also lodged an FIR in this regard.

Subsequently, the court had issued directions to the Delhi Police and Ministry of Home Affairs to take all necessary steps, including issuing a look out circular, to ensure the man does not leave the country with his son.

Yesterday, the man's lawyer had appeared before the court and told the bench that the child was in his client's custody.