Indian court orders kidnapped Amsterdam toddler's return to Netherlands: Report

By Janene Pieters on January 30, 2018 - 07:28
Insiya Hemani
Insiya HemaniPhoto: Nadia Rashid / Facebook

Insiya Hemani must be returned to the Netherlands, a court in India ruled on Monday. The now 3.5 year old girl was violently kidnapped from Amsterdam on her father's orders in September 2016. Shehzad Hemani now has until March 27th to return her to her mother, the Telegraaf reports.

This ruling is a major breakthrough in the long-ongoing kidnapping case. Dutch courts previously ruled that the Amsterdam toddler must be returned, but those rulings couldn't simply be carried out in India. The country previously refused to extradite Shehzad Hemani so he could stand trial in the Netherlands for arranging his daughter's kidnapping.

Insiya's mother Nadia Rashid is beside herself with relief. "The judgment was read to me by my lawyer in India. The ruling that Insiya should be handed over to me before 27 March is enforceable in advance, according to the lawyer. That means that a possible appeal will not have a suspensive effect", Nadia said to the newspaper.

She is still worried that her ex will somehow manage to keep her daughter away from her. "He is powerful and influential and has put seven lawyers on the case. But I believe that I can count on the support of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in collecting Insiya." 

Insiya is believed to be in India with her father. Her mother has had no contact with her since her kidnapping. 

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