HC warns parents of contempt, bank‑account freeze for keeping twin girls out of school

The Punjab and Haryana High Court has warned that any further defiance of its directions on the schooling and boarding of minor twin girls will invite coercive action — including contempt, freezing of bank accounts, and salary deductions. The warning came as Justice Sanjay Vashisth noticed that the parents had not sent the twins to school “for a single day” despite completing their admission to a Gurugram boarding school over a month ago.

The bench, which had earlier ordered the twins’ admission to a Gurugram school to shield them from psychological distress triggered by parental conflict, noted that the parents had repeatedly failed to comply with explicit directions and had withheld even the basic fees required for the children’s stay and education.

Recording his displeasure, Justice Vashisth observed: “It is crystal clear that both the petitioners have either scant regard for the directions issued by this court from time to time or they are wilfully and intentionally disobeying the orders of this court, which amounts to contempt of this court.”

The admonition came after Justice Vashisth found that the petitioners had not filed their compliance affidavits as directed on October 15. The bench observed that the petitioners on that day informed the court that the children had been admitted to the school but offered a “lame excuse” that affidavits could not be prepared due to their inability to reach Chandigarh. The matter was then adjourned to November 17.

As the matter came up for resumed hearing, Justice Vashisth observed that the affidavits were still missing. Worse, despite completing the admission formalities on October 16, the petitioners had “not deposited the school fees and other dues, which are payable for boarding and lodging of the children”, and had not sent the children to the school even once. The order records that the twins were being kept by petitioner father in his custody “in utter disregard and flagrant violation of the direction already issued by this court”.

Justice Vashisth asserted that the petitioners could have been dealt with “sternly” for such conduct, but refrained out of concern for the minor girls. “For the act and conduct, the petitioners could have been dealt with sternly. But at this stage, keeping in mind the welfare of the minor female children, this court is desisting itself in taking any harsh step against the petitioners, such as initiation of contempt proceedings against them; freezing of their bank accounts; and to issue direction to the employer(s) of the petitioners for deduction of the required amount from their monthly salary and pay the same directly to the school towards educational and boarding/lodging expenses etc.”

Granting “one last chance”, Justice Vashisth directed the parents to clear all school dues by November 29 and ordered that the twins must begin attending school and reside in the boarding facility from December 1.

Justice Vashisth added that since the children had not attended school so far, “it is expected from the school authorities that they will not be claiming the charges from the petitioners for the period during which the children never attended the school or availed the boarding facility”.

Issuing a clear warning, the court said: “It is also made clear that any further defiance by the petitioners would lead to taking of actions against them by this court, as already observed and detailed in the order.” The matter has been listed for December 2.

After interacting with the children in the presence of court staff to assess their understanding, intelligence and emotional state, Justice Vashisth had earlier observed that certain facts were divulged by the minor children regarding the temperamental behaviour of the father and the mother.

Haryana Tribune