New Delhi [India], June 24 (ANI): The Delhi High Court has sought a reply from a father for not following the court's order for the minor son's custody and visitation rights. The High Court handed over the custody of the minor son to his mother.

The child's mother has approached the High Court alleging that the father violated the terms of the interim arrangement and has kept the child in his custody since June 1. However, the child custody was to be handed over to her as per the interim arrangement.

After hearing the submissions, the division bench headed by Justice Manmeet Pritam Singh Arora asked the father to produce the child. The child was then produced, and the High Court handed over custody of the minor child to his mother.

The bench has also suspended the date for the meeting between the child and his father on June 27.

'In view of the fact that the child has remained in the custody of the father since June 1, 2025, in contravention of the terms set out in the order of January 23, 2025, the direction for a meeting between Petitioner and the minor child only for June 27, 2025 (Friday) is suspended,' the division bench said in the order passed on June 23.

During the hearing, counsel for the petitioner (father) sought time to file a reply to this application and bring on record the facts that led to the petitioner not handing over custody of the child on June 1, 2025.

The High Court has sought a reply within one week and listed the matter for hearing on July 4.

The Delhi High Court had passed an order directing an interim arrangement for visitation and custody of the minor child.

As per the interim arrangement, the father was given visitation and custody rights for Friday to Sunday twice a month on the second and fourth weekends as well as on the first and third Sundays.

The child's mother filed an application through advocates Prashant Prakash and Abhishek Chauhan, alleging that the father took custody of the child on May 30, 2025. However, he did not hand over custody to his mother on June 1.

It is also alleged that the father misbehaved with the mother and asked her to go to court to get custody. He did not hand over the custody even after the intervention of the police. (ANI)