The Bombay high court on February 24 told Nawazuddin Siddiqui and his estranged wife to settle the issue of giving him access to their two minor children. Justices Ajay Gadkari and Prakash Naik were hearing a habeas corpus petition by the actor to know the whereabouts of his daughter and son aged 12 and 7 respectively. The two kids are in the custody of their mother, Zainab.
Nawaz’s advocate told the court that the school had written to Nawaz that the children were missing class and would be rusticated. He said, last year, Zainab travelled to India without the children, and added, “Some third person has taken my children out of Dubai.” The couple separated in 2011 and there is a khulanama.
Zainab’s advocate informed the court that the children were with their mother, and that the daughter would not leave her mother and go to any other country. He added that the children’s education would be online or in India and “they don’t want to continue in Dubai”.
Nawazuddin’s advocate urged that the actor be allowed to communicate with his children. Zainab’s advocate said that the daughter talked with her father but the son had very limited contact with him.
The judges adjourned the hearing to March 3, and suggested that the warring couple settle visitation rights for Nawazuddin Siddiqui. The judges asked their advocates to talk and draw up minutes.