Baby Ariha Shah is an Indian child born in 2021 to Dhara and Bhavesh Shah, an Indian couple who moved to Berlin after Bhavesh secured a software engineering job in Germany in 2018. Their daughter’s birth brought joy to the family, but that happiness soon turned into a long legal and emotional struggle that has continued for more than three years.

In September 2021, when Ariha was just seven months old, she was accidentally injured while being cared for by her grandmother. When her mother later discovered bleeding while changing the baby’s diaper, the parents rushed her to the hospital.

What did the investigation find?

Following detailed medical examinations, German police concluded in early 2022 that Ariha had not been sexually abused and closed the criminal case, effectively clearing the parents of those allegations. However, the German Child Services continued to refuse custody to the parents, saying the injuries reflected negligence in care rather than abuse. On that basis, a court terminated parental custody and kept Ariha in foster care. With little hope left within the German legal system, Dhara and Bhavesh returned to India and sought help from the Indian government.

What Ariha’s family says now

Ariha’s aunt, Kinjal Shah, says the child has now spent over three years in foster homes because of what she calls a “misunderstanding” on the part of German child services. She says all criminal charges against the parents were dismissed long ago, yet the child remains separated from them. According to her, the parents are legally free to travel anywhere, but their daughter is still not being returned to them. She urged both the Indian and German governments to talk directly and resolve the matter so that the rights and emotional well-being of the young girl are protected.

Members of the Save Ariha campaign have also expressed concern that Ariha has been moved between multiple foster homes during this period. They say she continues to live with a German foster family even though authorities have cleared her parents of criminal wrongdoing. They are appealing for Ariha to be brought back to India so she can grow up in her cultural environment and reconnect with her family.

What India is doing in baby Ariha case:

The Government of India has said that the matter is being pursued at the highest diplomatic levels. The Ministry of External Affairs recently stated that Ariha has been in German foster care for nearly 40 months and that India remains in constant contact with German authorities. Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri confirmed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi discussed the issue directly with the German Chancellor. Misri noted that while the case began as a legal matter, it should now be viewed primarily through a humanitarian lens. The government has emphasised that efforts are underway to ensure Ariha grows up in an environment that reflects her Indian cultural identity and the emotional needs of the child.