New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday deferred hearing on a plea filed by the sister of slain gangster Atiq Ahmad seeking custody of his two minor sons, who are lodged in the child protection home at Rajrooppur in Prayagraj for the past six months.
A bench of Justices S. Ravindra Bhat and Aravind Kumar adjourned the hearing for a period of six weeks.
As per the details available on the website of the apex court, the matter is likely to be up on October 30 for further hearing.
On August 18, the Supreme Court had appointed retired Jt. Director of the National Institute of Public Co-operation and Child Development K.C. George as a support person to ascertain the wishes of the children.
“The state shall co-operate and give him/her all facilities.…and facilitate his interaction with the children at his convenience, to enable him to report to this court in a sealed cover before 25.08.2023,” it had ordered.
Earlier, the top court had expressed its concern in the case involving two minor children remarking that if they have a relative, they should be released from the correctional home.
Shahin Ahmad, sister of slain gangster has moved the Supreme Court challenging that Allahabad High Court order passed in May this year which had dismissed the plea seeking custody of the minors saying that their mother is alive and no material on record was placed to establish that she is their guardian.
Reportedly, two other women, namely Aaisha Noori and Zainab Fatima, claiming to be the guardian of the aforesaid two minor children, have also filed separate applications for their release and custody.
It is claimed that after the killing of lawyer Umesh Pal and his two security guards in Prayagraj on February 24, the state police had picked up the two minor sons of Atiq and lodged them at the child protection home in Rajrooppur.
(IANS)
