Navaneeth Madhavan vs J.Nandhini
2026 Latest Caselaw 2735 Mad

Citation : 2026 Latest Caselaw 2735 Mad
Judgement Date : 22 May, 2026

[Cites 1, Cited by 0]

Madras High Court

Navaneeth Madhavan vs J.Nandhini on 22 May, 2026

                                                                                        A No. 2125 of 2026


                                  IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS
                                                    DATED: 22-05-2026
                                                            CORAM
                           THE HON'BLE MR.JUSTICE V. LAKSHMINARAYANAN
                                         A No. 2125 of 2026 & A NO. 1106 OF 2026
                                                             in
                                                   OP No. 223 OF 2025

                 Navaneeth Madhavan
                                                                      ..Applicant in both Applications
                                                              Vs
                 J.Nandhini
                                                                     ..Respondent in both applications

                                                     A No. 2125 of 2026
                                    To grant the Applicant/Petitioner to have the interim custody of the
                minor male child Nikhilesh born on 07/09/2022, aged about 3 years and 8
                months, during the Summer Vacation from 15th May, 2026 to 5th June 2026
                filed under the Guardians and Wards act.
                                                     A No. 1106 of 2026
                          To grant the Applicant/Petitioner to have the interim custody of the minor
                child Nikhilesh born on 07/09/2022, aged about3 years and 5 months, during the
                Summer Vacation inclusive of the Tamil New Year holiday from 14th April
                2026 to 31st May, 2026.


                                  For Applicant         :   Mrs.K.Sumathi

                                  For Respondent        :   Mr.Nithianandam




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                                                                                      A No. 2125 of 2026


                                                    Common Order

The reliefs sought for in both these applications are more or less identical.

One seems to have been moved before the vacation seeking direction from the

court to take custody of the child from 14 th April 2026 to 31st May 2026. The

second application has been moved during the vacation seeking interim custody

of the child from 15th May 2026 to 05th June 2026.

2. When these applications were taken up by this Court on 14.05.2026, a

representation was made by Mr.Nithianandam that the child has gone for an

“educational tour” to New Delhi. Hence, the matter was listed before this Court

on 20.05.2026. On that date, it was represented that the child is still in New

Delhi. This Court shared the same view as taken by Mr.Justice N.Senthilkumar

as to how the child of 3 ½ years old went to New Delhi for an educational tour.

Hence, a direction was given calling upon the respondent to be present before

this Court, together with the child, on 22.05.2026. The applicant was also called

upon to be present.

3. In obedience to the direction, the parties were present before the Court.

4. I have interacted with both the applicant as well as the respondent.

Being a petition under Guardian and Wards Act, this court is concerned only

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with the best interests of the child. The child seems to be comfortable with the

company of the father and the mother is also not averse to the father spending

quality time with the child. Her only apprehension was that the child might not

be taken care of in a proper manner, when he is in the custody of the applicant.

5. Mrs.K.Sumathi representing the applicant states that on an earlier

occasion i.e., on 12.04.2026, the child had stayed overnight with the father and

did not report any discomfort. Mr.Nithianandam, too, states that the statement

of Mrs.K.Sumathi is correct.

6. The respondent, Mrs.Nandhini, states that the child had reported that it

had fallen down in the bathroom and adequate medical treatment had not been

given to it. Mr.Navaneeth Madhavan states that it was a minor incident which

happened, as in the case of any other child. He states that he had inspected the

child and did not find any bruise at the time of fall and left it as it is. I am

inclined to accept the version as given by Mr.Navaneeth Madhavan.

7. It is not in dispute that the child is in the custody of the mother. The

child must not be in a situation that he grows up without knowing as to who his

father is and how his father treats him. As already pointed out, Mrs.Nandhini is

not averse to the child spending some time with the father, but she only suffers

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from an apprehension about the child spending a prolonged period as sought for

in the application.

8. She also states that her father, Mr.Jaganathan is due to retire in July

2026 and that her paternal family is going to settled down at Thiruppukuzhi in

Kancheepuram District. She states that she had also made an arrangement to

admit the child at Janus Global Senior Secondary School at Kilambi. This place

is very close to Thiruppukuzhi. She states that the interaction between herself

and the school authorities is to take place on 24.05.2026.

9. Taking into consideration the aforesaid facts and circumstances, this

court passes the following directions:

(i) Both the applicant and the respondent will go over to the aforesaid

school, along with the child, at 9 am or some other time, that the school calls for

an appearance of the parents of the child on 24.05.2026.