Supreme Court directs immediate action to locate Russian woman Victoria Basu and her son, missing since July 7. Justice warns counsel: “You people know everything… You wait…”
New Delhi: Today, on July 17, in a surprising and sensitive child custody case, the Supreme Court of India has taken strong steps against a Russian woman named Victoria Basu, who allegedly went missing with her five-year-old son. The child is from her marriage with an Indian man named Saikat Basu.
The apex court has directed the Ministry of External Affairs and the Ministry of Home Affairs to issue look-out circulars to prevent her from leaving the country or help bring her back if she has already left.
A bench of Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi also gave strict instructions to the Delhi Police to find the missing child immediately.
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The court stated that the police must
“trace the missing child without any loss of time” and hand over his custody to the father.
Mr. Saikat Basu has claimed that since July 7, both his wife and son have disappeared. As per the custody arrangement between them, the child was supposed to stay with the mother only three days a week, but the father has not seen his son since May 22, when she last took custody.
The Supreme Court has further ordered the seizure of Ms. Victoria Basu’s passport, and border officials at airports and ports have been instructed to monitor all entries and exits closely. These steps are being taken to ensure the child is not taken out of the country unlawfully.
In court, Mr. Saikat Basu made a serious allegation that his estranged wife was seen entering the Russian embassy in Delhi through a back gate, accompanied by an embassy official, and carrying luggage.
This incident allegedly took place on July 4. He also expressed fear that she may have used this opportunity to flee the country with their child.
In a shocking twist, the Supreme Court took note of the unusual behaviour of Ms. Basu’s lawyer. When her counsel claimed he had no knowledge of her current location, Justice Surya Kant strongly objected and warned the lawyer, saying:
“You people know everything… you think you can play with us? We will take counsels also to task… You wait…”
This harsh observation from the bench reflected the seriousness with which the court is treating this matter.
Adding more to the complexity of the case, Mr. Basu alleged in court that his wife is possibly in a relationship with a Russian embassy official, and it is not clear whether this is the same person who helped her enter the embassy.
He told the court that he believes both mother and son may have escaped India with this person’s assistance.
The bench also directed the Ministry of External Affairs to formally seek permission to search the residence of the concerned embassy official, which is located in Delhi. Such a request involves diplomatic procedures, especially when foreign embassy staff are involved.
Another detail that came up in court was regarding Ms. Basu’s background. Her father is believed to be a retired officer of the FSB, the Russian intelligence agency, which may further complicate the situation from an international and diplomatic perspective.
According to the information shared in court, the couple met in China, where Mr. Basu worked as an engineer for a software company.
They got married in India in 2017. However, divorce proceedings are currently pending before the family court in Saket, Delhi.
Mr. Basu’s claims suggest that the custody deal allowed the child to stay with his mother only for part of the week, and she was supposed to return him regularly. But he last saw his son on May 22, and on July 4, he allegedly saw her entering the Russian embassy. Since then, there has been no contact.
This case involves not only legal and parental rights but also touches on serious concerns related to international relations, diplomatic protection, and the misuse of embassy spaces.
The Supreme Court is handling the matter with high alert and urgency, given the sensitive nature of the disappearance and the possible involvement of foreign nationals and diplomats.
CASE TITLE:
VIKTORIIA BASU vs THE STATE OF WEST BENGAL AND ORS.W.P.(Crl.) No. 129/2023
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