Actress Vanitha Vijayakumar has been charged with the crime of kidnapping her own daughter, Jainitha. This follows a complaint made by her ex-husband Anandraj in a police station in Alwal, Hyderabad.
Vanitha and Anandraj’s daughter had been living with Anandraj after the couple divorced in 2012, and after a family court had granted custody to the father. However, Vanitha had visitation rights. Early in April, Vanitha had visited Anandraj and Jainitha in Hyderabad, and had brought her daughter back with her to Chennai, saying that she will return custody to Anandraj in a month’s time.
“In the first week of April, Vanitha had taken her daughter Jainitha to her home in Chennai with the consent of her ex-husband. As per their agreement, she was to return the child last week. But she did not keep her word. She also did not respond to the calls of Anandraj, who then lodged a complaint with us,” Anand Reddy, Inspector of Police, said to DC.
Subsequently, the police have registered the complaint and have filed charges of kidnapping against Vanitha. However, Vanitha refused to hand over the child to Anandraj.
In a story in Maalai Malar, she is quoted saying that the court had said that Anandraj had custody of the child Monday through Thursday of the week, but the child can stay with the mother on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. However, three years ago, Anandraj had moved to Hyderabad without prior notice, and had taken the child with him. Vanitha was not informed of his decision to move, or his address/place of residence.
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The Maalai Malar report goes on to say that Vanitha had been emailing Anandraj to ask about their child but received no response, till one day Jainitha, the girl herself, managed to get her mother’s number from the email and called her. Jainitha had asked her mother to come take her away as she wasn’t feeling safe in Hyderabad.
Vanitha had therefore rushed to Alwal, filed a complaint against Anandraj, and brought the child back with her to Chennai. She now refuses to hand over custody of the child to Anandraj, and is prepared to face police action.