Bhubaneswar, Oct. 31 -- In a significant ruling affirming the right of both parents to remain involved in their child's life, the Orissa high court has held that a father "who has been consistently approaching courts to see his son cannot be presumed to be a threat to him or his mother". Setting aside a Family Court order that had denied visitation rights to a Cuttack-based man seeking to meet his infant son, the high court observed that "even if the custody lies with one parent, the other must have sufficient access. A child cannot be deprived of the love and affection of either parent." Justice Sashikant Mishra made the observations while hearing a writ petition filed by the father, Saurav Raiguru, whose plea for limited visitation was earlier rejected by the Family Court, Cuttack, on grounds that allowing such meetings could pose a threat to the mother and child. The couple, married in April 2021 and parents to a son born in December 2023, have been locked in multiple legal disputes since early 2024. The high court criticised the Family Court's reasoning as "perverse and contrary to settled law," noting that the alleged incidents cited by the mother occurred nearly two years ago and that no fresh material had been presented to show any ongoing threat. "A natural father, desperate to see his child and pursuing legal remedies rather than resorting to unlawful means, cannot be assumed to pose harm to his son or wife," the court said. Citing the Supreme Court's landmark 2020 judgment in Yashita Sahu vs State of Rajasthan, the High Court underlined that the welfare of the child must remain the "paramount consideration" in custody disputes. It reiterated that visitation and contact rights were essential for a child's emotional and psychological development....