Summary
- The Bombay High Court has ruled that a Child Welfare Committee (CWC) cannot take custody of a child who is neither orphaned nor abandoned.
- This decision came while setting aside a May 25, 2026 order from the CWC, which had returned the child to biological parents despite claims of adoption by the petitioners.
- The Court found that the adoption deed was not registered and merely notarized, failing to meet legal requirements under the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015.
- The ruling clarifies that CWC's jurisdiction is limited to children in need of care and protection, impacting future custody cases involving similar circumstances.
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