Baby Ariha Case: PM Modi-Chancellor Scholz hold discussion; Govt says Indian child growing up in Germany 'not natural'

Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri on Friday said that PM Narendra Modi and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz discussed the case of baby Ariha Shah in Delhi.

Addressing the press, Vikram Misri said that India have been following the case of Ariha Shah, who is in Germany under foster care, very closely at various levels.

He added that EAM S Jaishankar raised it strongly with his counterpart when he was in Germany and confirmed it was raised during the meeting as well on Friday.

Misri said, as quoted by ANI, "The case of Ariha Shah who is in Germany under foster has been followed very closely by us at various levels. Our Embassy in Berlin has taken it up with the German side. When EAM was in Germany he raised it strongly with his counterpart. I can confirm it was raised during the meeting as well today."

"We have impressed upon the German side that an Indian child growing up in an environment which is not her religious, cultural and linguistic environment is not natural. The Chancellor assured the PM that he was closely following this issue. I am sure the two sides will remain in touch through ongoing multiple channels," he added.

Baby Ariha Case:

Ariha was born in Germany's capital Berlin in 2021 to Bhavesh Shah, who moved to Berlin in 2018 with Dhara.

Earlier on 23 September 2021, German authorities took Ariha Shah to a foster case when she was seven months old, alleging her parents — Dhara and Bhavesh — had abused her.

Following this, Shah was then placed in the custody of Germany’s Jugendamt or Youth Welfare Office when she sustained an accidental injury. Her continued presence in foster care has become an irritant in bilateral relations.

According to a report by Hindustan Times, Dhara had said that after Ariha was born, her grandmother visited the family in Berlin. However, she 'accidentally hurt the child', which caused an injury to the 'outer genital area'.

Ariha's family claimed that she was taken to the hospital after which German authorities were alerted as it was suspected to be a case of sexual assault.

When Ariha was taken into foster care, her parents were only allowed to visit once every fortnight. German authorities also filed a case of child sexual abuse against her parents.

Till now, Ariha has not returned to her parents, and Jugendamt filed a civil custody case to terminate parental rights as it sought Ariha's custody. The couple has been fighting a legal battle.

With agency inputs.