Wife has taken my son to her parent's house and is denying me access for 6 months — what can I do?

Before approaching the court, you may first attempt some out-of-court steps. Request the elders from both families to intervene and facilitate an amicable resolution. If you feel comfortable, try speaking directly with your wife to understand her concerns and attempt reconciliation. These steps may save time and preserve the relationship. However, do not delay these efforts too long as prolonged inaction may be used against you later. Regarding the school, writing a letter to the school authorities requesting access is unlikely to help if your wife has already instructed them to deny you entry. Schools typically follow the instructions of the parent who enrolled the child and will not override them without a court order. Similarly, approaching the police for assistance in meeting your child is possible as a short-term measure but is not a sustainable solution. If out-of-court efforts fail, which is likely given the circumstances, you must file a petition before the Family Court without further delay. You should file under Sections 7, 10, 17 and 25 of the Guardians and Wards Act, 1890 read with Section 7(1) Explanation (g) of the Family Courts Act, seeking permanent custody of your child along with an interim custody petition for immediate production of the child before the court. Once the case is filed, the court will issue notice to your wife requiring her appearance, which typically takes around two months. At that stage, the court will hear the interim custody petition. As an interim measure, you will at minimum be granted visitation rights, which may include weekend visits or scheduled meetings at a mutually agreed location. The court may also impose conditions such as deposit of the child's passport to prevent removal from jurisdiction. It is important to understand that your wife cannot legally deny you access to your child without a court order to that effect. No political influence operates inside a courtroom — child custody matters are decided purely on the basis of the welfare and best interests of the child. You also have the option of filing for divorce on grounds of cruelty if you decide you do not wish to continue the marriage, which can run parallel to the custody proceedings. File the case at the earliest. Delay in such matters can sometimes be interpreted unfavourably by courts.