India’s Supreme Court has sought the help of the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) to trace a Kenyan businessman who is wanted over kidnapping allegations.
The unidentified businessman, a dual citizen of Kenya and the United Kingdom, is believed to be hiding in Kenya.
The Times of India reports that the man was granted the legal custody of his 11-year-old child but it was established that he misled the Supreme Court.
The court directed him to obtain an order from a Kenyan court mirroring an agreement he reached with the Indian court and the child’s mother.
After traveling back to Kenya, India’s Supreme Court tried to contact the businessman through the Indian High Commission in Nairobi but could not locate him as he was avoiding contact.
“We do not have a treaty with Kenya to enforce the order of the court and cannot serve him notice as he is a Kenyan citizen,” India’s Solicitor General Tushar Mehta said.
The apex court in India decided to explore other options since the man invoked Indian jurisdiction before obtaining the child’s custody.
The man married an Indian national in 2007 and the couple was blessed with their child in 2009 before separating in 2012.
Mukul Rohatgi, an attorney representing the man’s former wife, says India should use its diplomatic relations with the UK to nail the suspect.
The man was granted custody of the teenager in October 2020, having complied with an order requiring him to submit some documents.
It later emerged that Kenyan courts do not recognize orders given by Indian courts. The Indian Supreme Court has since annulled an agreement entered with the suspect.
The case will be heard on August 27th.
