MUMBAI, Dec. 9 -- The Bombay High Court on Monday refused a UK-based man's request to have overnight custody of his 11-year-old son during his visit to Mumbai. The court held that the child's studies can't be disrupted by his father's travel plans. The man, an IIT-Bombay alumnus, is visiting the city for a reunion at the institute. The minor's parents had gotten married in 2008 and moved to the UK in 2018. They had a son in 2014. Between 2021 and July 2023, the couple fought often and the husband allegedly assaulted the wife. When the duo decided to get separated, the man sought custody of his son, but his wife moved to India with the minor in July 2023. In February 2025, the couple agreed to settle the matter amicably and made a joint statement before the court that they would explore mediation to solve their disputes. The high court then directed them to visit the mediation centre but the couple did not participate in the process. In September, the couple told the court that they were willing to reunite for the child's sake. Keeping in mind the welfare of the child, the court then directed them to make sincere efforts in the mediation process. During Monday's hearing, the father informed a division bench of justices Bharati Dangre and Shyam C Chandak that he would be in India from December 15 to 30 and wished to meet his son daily. He also asked the court if he could take the child to his IIT-Bombay alumni reunion for three days. While the minor's mother agreed to daily meetings, she objected to any disruption of the child's academic routine. The court allowed the father to meet his son daily but imposed certain conditions. "The child is not a commodity. You cannot disrupt his studies for 15 days just for your visit", the court said. The bench then permitted the father to meet the child from 6 pm-8 pm every day. Rejecting the father's request for a three-day reunion visit, the court said, "It's your reunion, not your child's reunion." The court permitted the man to take the boy with him to the reunion for a day and to return him to his mother by 9 pm....