Ariha Shah

Child in foster care

Indian Berlin, Germany

Quick Info

ProfessionChild in foster care
NationalityIndian
Date of Birth02/02/2021
Age5 years
BirthplaceBerlin, Germany

Latest News about Ariha Shah

21/02/2026

Indian officials celebrated Diwali with Ariha Shah in a German foster home, where she has been living for over two years since being placed there on September 23, 2021, after an accidental injury. The Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson said diplomatic access was granted, and Indian embassy officials celebrated the festival with her while stressing Indiaโ€™s efforts to secure her return to her cultural environment.

17/02/2026

Ariha Shah's mother, Dhara Shah, appealed to the Indian government to help bring her daughter back from Germany. She said a German court had given custody of Ariha to German Child Services in June and raised concerns about Ariha's well-being and limited access to Indian cultural items.

12/01/2026

Prime Minister Narendra Modi raised Ariha Shah's case with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and urged her repatriation to India. The Ministry of External Affairs said diplomatic follow-ups were ongoing, and that although the criminal case against the parents had been resolved, the custody dispute had become a humanitarian issue.

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Bio/Wiki

Known forBeing sent to foster care in Germany by Jugendamt, German Child Services after a doctor reported a suspected sexual assault on her

Physical Stats & More

Eye ColorBlack
Hair ColorBlack

Personal Life

ReligionJainism
EthnicityGujarati
Food HabitAlthough her family follows a strict vegetarian diet, Ariha Shah was fed non-vegetarian food in foster care in Germany.

Family

FatherBhavesh Shah (Software Engineer)
MotherDhara Shah
SiblingsShe is the only child of her parents.

Some Lesser Known Facts

1. Ariha Shah, an Indian girl, was separated from her parents by German authorities at seven months old on September 23, 2021. The Jugendamt, German Child Services, placed her in foster care due to a reported suspicion of sexual assault.
2. Her family originates from Gujarat, India, but her father moved to Berlin, Germany, for work in 2018.
3. At seven months old, Ariha's grandparents visited her, and an accidental injury occurred in her private area while in her grandmother's care.
4. Her parents became worried upon finding blood in her diaper, leading them to seek medical help. Subsequently, suspicions of abuse arose, and the German Child Services intervened, launching an investigation into the parents.
5. The case against Ariha's parents for alleged child sexual abuse was eventually dropped, with negligence being suggested instead.
6. Despite the legal closure without charges, Ariha remained separated from her parents as the Jugendamt pursued a civil custody case aiming to terminate parental rights.
7. A court-appointed psychologist recommended specialized care for Ariha with limited visits to one parent due to practical issues such as visa concerns.
8. Before a court ruling was reached, Ariha was relocated by the Jugendamt to a facility for children with special needs.
9. Efforts have been made by the Ministry of External Affairs to repatriate Ariha back to India while emphasizing her cultural background.
10. Members of Parliament from different parties joined to appeal for Ariha's repatriation in a letter to the German ambassador in 2023.
11. The case of Ariha Shah has commonalities with Sagarika Chakraborty's situation, where Norwegian authorities took custody of her children in 2011.
12. Ariha has been moved between multiple foster homes during her time in German foster care.
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