4 WPCR(F) 898 2026 Amrut IN THE HIGH COURT OF BOMBAY AT GOA CRIMINAL WRIT PETITION NO.898 OF 2026 (F) SANIKA AKSHAY JOSHI NEE SANIKA PARISH KHANOLKAR ... PETITIONER Versus THE STATE OF GOA THR THE PUBLIC PROSECUTOR AND 6 ORS ... RESPONDENTS Mr S. D. Lotlikar, Senior Advocate with Ms. Sailee Kenny and Mr Jayant Karn, Advocates for the Petitioner. Petitioner present in person. Mr. S. G. Bhobe, Public Prosecutor with Mr Preetam Talaulikar, Additional Public Prosecutor for Respondent Nos.1 and 2. Mr S. Desai, Senior Advocate with Mr Tejas Rane, Ms Riddhi Ajgaonkar and Mr B. Mahatme, Advocates for Respondent No.3. Respondent No.3 present in person. Mr Nigel Fernandes, Advocate for Respondent Nos.4, 5, 6 and 7. CORAM:- VALMIKI MENEZES & S. G. CHAPALGAONKAR, JJ. DATED :- 27th August, 2026 P.C.: 1. A statement is made by Ms Kenny, learned Advocate for the Petitioner, that all office objections have been cleared. We accept the statement. The matter may be registered accordingly. Page 1 of 3 27th August, 2026 2026:BHC-GOA:1731-DB 4 WPCR(F) 898 2026 2. The child Mast. Ved has been produced in this Court. Considering that immediately prior to the filing of the petition, the child was in the custody of the mother, we deem it appropriate that the child would remain in custody of the mother throughout week i.e. from Monday to Saturday and father i.e. Respondent No.3 is allowed to collect the child, and the child would be reached to the residence of father at Mapusa on Saturday by 10.00 a.m. and would spend weekend and will be returned to the mother on Sunday by lunch i.e. at 1.00 p.m. This direction has been passed considering only on the consideration that the child has been with the father from 22nd August 2026 till today, and was brought today to the Court by the father. 3. This arrangement shall continue till Tuesday i.e. 8th September 2026, by which date the Petitioner-mother has agreed to file an appropriate application seeking custody of the child before the Civil Court. If such an application is filed, an advance copy shall be served on Respondent No.3 and the appropriate Civil Court which has jurisdiction shall decide this application including passing of any interim order therein without being influenced by the arrangement made in this order; this order is passed without prejudice to the contentions that may be raised by either of the parties in the Civil Court or those may have been raised in the petition before us. Page 2 of 3 27th August, 2026 4 WPCR(F) 898 2026 4. Considering that we have passed orders making interim arrangements till the appropriate Civil Court deals with this issue of custody, nothing further remains to be addressed in this habeas corpus petition and the same stands disposed of with the order stated above to be in operation till 8th September 2026. 5. We also clarify that this arrangement shall have no bearing on the consideration which the Court would apply considering the law of custody on the subject. S. G. CHAPALGAONKAR, J. VALMIKI MENEZES, J. 27th August, 2026 Signed by: TARI AMRUT NAGESH Designation: Private Secretary Date: 27/08/2026 17:29:31