Mumbai: The Bombay high court on Monday declined to grant relief to a Navy officer who challenged his transfer from Mumbai on grounds that he needed to stay here to take care of his autistic son. While refusing to stay the transfer order, the court noted that the Navy was permitting the officer’s family to stay in the official residence for a year more after which they would have to vacate the premises.
A division bench of justices B.P. Colabawalla and A.M. Badar, was hearing the petition filed by captain Vikram Singh, in which he objected to his transfer from Mumbai to Vishakhapattnam and claimed that his son, studying in class VII was autistic and needed special medical care.
Advocate Neel Helekar, appearing for the Navy, on Monday told the court that naval authorities had permitted captain Singh’s wife and family to continue residing in the official accommodation till July 2018. “The family will have shift to Vishakhapatnam next year, where it will be given official residential accommodation,” said advocate Helekar.
The court then directed the Navy to file an affidavit by June 8, mentioning the assurance given to the family. “There is no need for interim relief by way of staying the transfer. We feel the (authority) Navy has been reasonable in this matter. They are giving the petitioner’s family accommodation from May 2017 to July 2018. We should appreciate the authority,” the bench said.
