SC notice to centre on baby Manjhi's custody

The Supreme Court has asked for a response from the Central government on a petition filed by Japanese infant Manjhee's grandmother seeking her custody. A two judge bench headed by Justice Arijit Pasayat issued notice to the government after counsel Indira Jaisingh moved for early hearing in the case. As the court was closed today, the case was heard at Justice Pasayat's residence.

The court has directed that the custody of the infant will remain with the grand mother till the matter is finally decided by the court. The court has fixed August 20th for hearing of the case. Earliar, the grandmother of Japanese infant Manji had approached the Supreme Court, seeking that the child should not be separated from her and the father. She also sought requisition of relevant travel documents for the child, so that she could be deported safely to Japan.

The grandmother was forced to move the apex court, after she learnt that the custody of the child could not be given to the father as Indian laws do not permit a single father to adopt a girl child. Manji was born on the 25th of July after her biological parents Ikufumi Yamada and Yuki Yamada entered into a contract with a woman in Gujarat to become their child's surrogate mother. The problem started when a month before Manji was born, her biological mother divorced her husband and disowned the child.