Man fled to US illegally during custody dispute

A custody case turned serious when Manish Chhokar fled to the United States without his passport. His passport was submitted to the Supreme Court as part of a court order to transfer custody of his son to his ex-wife. Chhokar’s actions led to an investigation by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). The CBI filed a case against him on March 21, 2025. He is accused of providing false information to get permission to travel and of leaving India without a valid passport. The case stems from a custody battle that began in 2017. Chhokar and his ex-wife, Rajyashree, divorced in 2017 after living in the US. A 2019 settlement required him to give custody of their 10-year-old son to her. However, he repeatedly failed to comply with court orders. On December 5, 2023, Chhokar deposited his Indian passport with the Supreme Court. But in January 2025, he used a re-entry permit issued by the U.S. Embassy to obtain clearance at the airport. This was despite his passport being held by the court. The Supreme Court had demanded answers about how Chhokar managed to leave the country. They expressed shock that he could travel without his passport. Currently, Chhokar and his son are in Michigan, while the legal battle over custody continues.