Mumbai: Nalasopara couple battle rape case, pregnancy; now fight for kid

The couple after getting married in Bandra court on May 15 is now fighting for the custody of their boy who is with the CWC PicsHanif PatelIn love with each other since their teens this Nalasopara couple has gone through it all mdash parental opposition over their interfaith union elopement pregnancy birth of the love child kidnapping and rape case against the youth and eventual separation But they fought it all and got married a few days ago as the girl turned 18 in AprilAnd yet a happy ending eludes them They are now fighting to be reunited with their child who was taken from them and given to the Child Welfare Committee when the two were separated and sent off to different ashramsThe Nalasopara couple has been running from pillar to post to get custody of their baby boy who is in the care of the Child Welfare Committee CWC in Ulhasnagar visiting the Tulinj police station almost daily only to be disappointed everydayChildhood sweetheartsThe girl who turned 18 in April this year and the youth 23 a mechanic have been in love since she was 14 In June last year the two eloped after which her family lodged a case of kidnapping against the youth as she was still a minor thenThe Tulinj police nabbed them after 20 days sending the girl to her parents and putting the youth behind bars The two were also sent for a medical checkup which revealed that the girl was four months pregnant The police then added the charge of rape and other relevant sections under the POCSO Act against the youthAfter 15 days of incarceration the youth managed to get bail The girls parents however did everything in their power to keep her home and not allow them to reunite In December last year she gave birth to a boyWorried about her running away again and things going out of their hands over the fact that she would be considered an adult the girls parents sent her off to an ashram in Valiv Vasai East as soon as she turned 18 in April They also took the polices help in sending the youth off to a different ashram in Ulhasnagar while the infant was handed over to the CWCOn May 13 the girl got out of the correction home and the two got married in Bandra family court on May 15 And now with everything in order legally they say they have been running around to get their boy backNot without their sonThe Tulinj police misled me On the pretext of getting a DNA test done they called me and took my signature on a piece of paper and then sent me off to the ashram I was already a major then They have given my child to the CWC which is wrong she allegedNow the CWC is refusing to give my boy back We have gone and met the officials several times but they are not ready to listen to anythingThe youth said We did court marriage Now we just want to live together peacefully We just want our boy back We have been to the Tulinj police station many times but they arent helping eitherThere is a procedure to get the child back I am helping the couple said advocate Anjali Patil who helped to get the youth out after he was arrestedThe couple has been running around to get the custody of their baby boy PicsHanif PatelOfficialspeakWhen contacted CWC chairperson Meenal Thakur said It is a very sensitive issue The accused married the victim while out on bail What is the guarantee that he is not doing all this just to get a discharge from the rape case registered against him Also there is no assurance that he wont divorce her laterCWC officials said that if the youth abandoned the girl the child would end up on the streets and hence it was in the babys best interests if he were kept in their custody