Norway to hand over custody of kids to uncle

“This week,the Child Welfare Service (CWS) in Stavanger completed its talks with the uncle… It has been concluded that care of the two children should be awarded to the brother of the children’s father enabling him to take the children back to India,” the CWS said in a press statement. The “solution” will be presented on March 23 to Stavanger District Court,which will take the final decision.

However,the CWS cautioned,it would need to ensure that the necessary procedures are in place to safeguard the children’s interests.

Abhigyan (1) and Aishwarya (3),children of NRI couple Anurup and Sagarika Bhattacharya,were taken away by the CWS last May on the ground of “emotional disconnect”.

The grandparents met External Affairs Minister S M Krishna in New Delhi today and the minister had assured that the children would be brought home at “any cost”.

With the family concerned over the fact that the CWS had applied for extension of the children’s residence permits,the statement by the service said: “…this is a practical technicality and does not mean that the Child Welfare Service is seeking to keep the children in Norway”.