A city court directed criminal FIR in Delhi has brought allegations of forged parental consent in an India–Australia child removal case into focus, raising a public-interest question: how are children protected when the authenticity of documents supporting international travel and visa applications is disputed?
Damanjeet Singh, the child’s biological father, has alleged that his two-and-a-half-year-old son was taken from India to Australia without his authorisation.
He alleged that his original Indian passport was stolen and that his signatures were forged on documents submitted in connection with the child’s Australian visa application, including Australian Visa Form 1229.
He further alleged that this involved a coordinated conspiracy by an organized syndicate rather than a single individual. The central issue is whether the consent relied upon was genuine and whether the documents accurately established the legal authority required for the child’s visa and relocation. The allegations remain subject to investigation and judicial determination.
According to the case details supplied by the complainant, proceedings were initiated through his counsel, Advocate Monika Verman, under Section 175(3) of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 (BNSS), which provides for a competent Magistrate to order a police investigation subject to statutory requirements.
Judicial Magistrate First Class Vikas Madaan, JMFC-07, West District, Tis Hazari Courts, New Delhi, reportedly directed Tilak Nagar Police Station to register the case. The complainant states that FIR No. 0393/2026 was subsequently registered against the child’s mother under Sections 137(2), 336(3) and 340(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (BNS), concerning punishment for kidnapping, forgery intended for cheating and the fraudulent or dishonest use of a forged document as genuine.
The FIR brings the allegations into the criminal-investigation process. Its registration does not establish guilt, and the applicability of the cited offences—including questions of lawful guardianship, consent and document authenticity—must be determined on the evidence.
Australian Visa Form 1229 is used to record consent to the grant of an Australian visa to a child under 18. Depending on the applicable visa requirements and family circumstances, consent may be required from persons legally entitled to determine where the child lives, unless another lawful basis is established, such as a relevant court order or evidence of sole parental responsibility.