Nehal Khatri v. State (NCT Of Delhi) & ANR.

$~18 * IN THE HIGH COURT OF DELHI AT NEW DELHI + W.P.(CRL) 1089/2026 & CRL.M.A. 10228/2026 NEHAL KHATRI .....Petitioner Through:

Mr.Manish Yadav and Mr.Roshan Singh, Advs.

versus STATE (NCT OF DELHI) & ANR. .....Respondents Through:

Mr.Sanjay Lao, Standing Counsel (Crl.) with Mr.Abhinav Kr.

Arya and Mr.Aryan Sachdeva, Advs.

CORAM:

HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE NAVIN CHAWLA HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE RAVINDER DUDEJA % 06.04.2026

O R D E R

1.

The present Writ Petition has been filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India read with Section 528 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 ('BNSS'), praying for the following reliefs:

"a.

Issue a writ of Habeas Corpus directing Respondents to produce the minor child before this Hon'ble Court forthwith/within a timebound period; b.

Direct Respondent No. 1 to trace, locate and secure the custody of the minor child with police assistance;

c.

Restrain Respondent No.

from removing the child outside jurisdiction or creating third-party rights;"

2.

The respondent no. 2 has appeared before us in person. She submits that there was only a live-in relationship between her and the The authenticity of the order can be re-verified from Delhi High Court Order Portal by scanning the QR code shown above. The Order is downloaded from the DHC Server on 09/04/2026 at 13:30:52

petitioner and they were not legally wedded. This fact is not disputed by the learned counsel for the petitioner. She further raises various allegations against the petitioner of mistreating her and the child. 3.

Though the allegations of mistreatment are disputed by the learned counsel for the petitioner, in our view, these cannot be adjudicated in this petition.

4.

As admittedly, the child is only around 17 months old and is in custody of her natural mother, we do not deem it appropriate to pass further directions in this petition. We leave it open to the parties to agitate their rights in appropriate proceedings and in accordance with law.

5.

Let the Status Report be taken on record.

6.

The petition along with the pending application is, accordingly, disposed of.

NAVIN CHAWLA, J RAVINDER DUDEJA, J APRIL 6, 2026/sg/pb The authenticity of the order can be re-verified from Delhi High Court Order Portal by scanning the QR code shown above. The Order is downloaded from the DHC Server on 09/04/2026 at 13:30:52