Delhi HC orders Interpol Red Corner Notice against UK-based OCI over child maintenance default
Synopsis
In a rare and significant move, the Delhi High Court has directed the CBI to seek an Interpol Red Corner Notice against a UK-based OCI cardholder who openly declared he was 'withdrawing from the jurisdiction of Indian courts' — all while refusing to pay ₹1.40 lakh a month in child maintenance. The judgment marks one of the most assertive uses of international enforcement machinery by an Indian family court in recent memory.
Key Takeaways
The Delhi High Court directed the CBI to initiate an Interpol Red Corner Notice against a UK-based OCI cardholder on 2 July 2025 .
The respondent was found guilty of wilfully defying orders to pay ₹1.40 lakh per month in interim maintenance for his minor daughter.
Justice Sachin Datta sentenced him to six months' simple imprisonment and a fine of ₹2,000 for civil contempt.
The respondent had emailed the court declaring he was 'withdrawing from the jurisdiction of Indian Courts.' The court also directed an Interpol Diffusion notice and instructed the FRRO to alert police for his arrest if he returns to India.
The matter is next listed for hearing on 27 July .
The Delhi High Court has directed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to initiate proceedings for the issuance of an Interpol Red Corner Notice against a United Kingdom-based Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) cardholder found guilty of wilfully defying court orders to pay interim maintenance for his minor daughter. The direction came in a judgment delivered on Wednesday, 2 July by a single-judge Bench of Justice Sachin Datta.
What the Court Found
Justice Datta held that the respondent had shown a 'consistent, deliberate, and calculated disregard' for orders passed by both the family court and the Delhi High Court. The contemnor had repeatedly refused to participate in proceedings before Indian courts and had failed to pay ₹1.40 lakh per month in interim maintenance directed for his minor daughter's welfare, despite multiple opportunities to comply.
The court also noted that the respondent had ignored subsequent directions requiring payment of arrears and disclosure of financial records. Rejecting his claim of financial incapacity, the Bench found it unsupported by credible material and indicative of deliberate evasion rather than genuine inability.
The Contempt Sentence
Holding the respondent guilty of civil contempt under the Contempt of Courts Act, the Delhi High Court sentenced him to six months' simple imprisonment and imposed a fine of ₹2,000. The court recorded that his conduct demonstrated 'complete disregard for judicial authority' and warranted the invocation of its contempt jurisdiction.
Notably, the respondent had sent an email categorically declaring: 'I hereby declare that I am withdrawing from the jurisdiction of the Indian Courts, and I will no longer be participating in this case or any related legal proceedings in India.' The court treated this as a clear expression of deliberate non-compliance.
International Mechanisms Invoked
Taking note of the contemnor's continued absence from India, Justice Datta directed the CBI to make an appropriate request to Interpol for issuance of a Red Corner Notice — specifically 'for the purposes of locating, arresting, and detaining him, and for informing the CBI as well as this Court of his whereabouts.' The court additionally directed the CBI to pursue an Interpol Diffusion notice to facilitate tracing, apprehension, and detention.
The Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO) was also directed to alert relevant police authorities and the CBI to secure the respondent's arrest upon any return to India, ensuring execution of the sentence imposed.
Next Steps
Justice Datta ordered authorities to prepare arrest warrants and committal warrants against the contemnor forthwith. The matter has been listed for further consideration on 27 July. This case sets a significant precedent for the use of international law enforcement mechanisms in cross-border family court enforcement — an area where Indian courts have historically had limited reach.
Point of View
But for the broader architecture of cross-border maintenance enforcement in India. Indian family courts have long struggled to compel compliance from respondents who relocate abroad and exploit jurisdictional gaps. By invoking the Interpol Red Corner Notice mechanism — typically associated with criminal fugitives — the Delhi High Court signals that civil contempt, when sufficiently egregious, can attract the same international machinery. The respondent's written declaration of withdrawal from Indian jurisdiction arguably made this an easy call for the Bench, but the precedent it sets for other OCI and NRI maintenance defaulters is far-reaching. Whether Interpol actually acts on such a notice in a civil contempt matter, however, remains an open and untested question.
NationPress
2 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did the Delhi High Court order an Interpol Red Corner Notice in this case?
The Delhi High Court ordered the CBI to seek an Interpol Red Corner Notice because the UK-based OCI cardholder repeatedly defied court orders to pay ₹1.40 lakh per month in child maintenance and declared in writing that he was withdrawing from Indian court jurisdiction. The court found his non-compliance deliberate and sentenced him to six months' simple imprisonment for civil contempt.
What is an Interpol Red Corner Notice?
An Interpol Red Corner Notice is an international alert issued to law enforcement agencies in member countries to locate, arrest, and detain a person pending extradition or legal proceedings. In this case, the Delhi High Court directed the CBI to request one to trace and secure the presence of the contempt convict currently based in the United Kingdom.
What sentence was imposed on the UK-based OCI cardholder?
Justice Sachin Datta of the Delhi High Court sentenced the respondent to six months' simple imprisonment and imposed a fine of ₹2,000 after holding him guilty of civil contempt under the Contempt of Courts Act for wilfully disobeying maintenance orders.
What other enforcement steps did the court direct?
Beyond the Interpol Red Corner Notice, the court directed the CBI to pursue an Interpol Diffusion notice and instructed the Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO) to alert police and the CBI to arrest the respondent upon any return to India. Arrest warrants and committal warrants were also ordered to be prepared forthwith.
When is the next hearing in this case?
The Delhi High Court has listed the matter for further consideration on 27 July 2025.
