India, June 4 -- The Bombay High Court on Wednesday restored the custody of a three-month-old infant to his mother, observing that a child of such tender age is completely dependent on the mother for survival, care and nourishment. The court came down heavily on the father, holding that his actions had deprived the infant of the care and protection that only a mother can provide, resulting in "grave and irreparable injury and hardship" to the child.

"The father has also deprived the child, an infant of only three months, of the care and protection that only a mother can provide and which is paramount for the overall well-being of the child. Such conduct on the part of the father has resulted in grave and irreparable injury and hardship t...