The Bombay high court on September 21 frowned at the Centre for its “half-baked assurances and lip service” in helping post-production studio owner Mushtaq Nadiadwala who has alleged that his two minor children were detained in Pakistan by his wife. Justices Revati Mohite-Dere and Prithviraj Chavan were hearing Mushtaq’s habeas corpus petition.
Mushtaq Nadiadwala, son of late producer Gaffarbhai Nadiadwala, had married a Pakistani national in 2012 and she moved to India to be with him. On November 26, 2020, the wife took the children to Lahore and did not return. Although the Centre’s advocate told the court that the ministry of external affairs was making efforts, the judges said that they were not convinced. The two Justices told the advocate of the government of India that they wanted assurance. “Don’t give us half-baked assurances and lip service. What we expect to hear from you is that you will do everything that is possible to bring the children back.” The judges will take an update after three weeks.