A Canberra man is facing a serious criminal charge after police alleged he deliberately left his wife stranded in India while he returned to Australia alone.

Authorities claim the 35-year-old travelled overseas with his wife before the birth of their child, only to later return to Australia without her and allegedly take steps that prevented her from coming back.

Police allege a woman was left stranded overseas after her husband returned to Australia and cancelled her visa while she remained in India.

The allegations have resulted in an exit trafficking charge, a rare offence that sits within Australia’s anti-human trafficking laws.

Investigators allege the couple travelled to India together before the woman gave birth.

According to police, the husband later flew back to Australia and told his wife he would return before the child was born.

Authorities claim that promise was never fulfilled.

Instead, investigators allege the man remained in Australia, cancelled his wife’s visa and blocked her attempts to contact him.

The allegations suggest the woman was left overseas without the ability to return to Australia as originally planned.

The case eventually came to the attention of police after the woman reported concerns about what had occurred.

That complaint triggered an investigation which later led to the man’s arrest and court appearance.

The charge has attracted significant attention because exit trafficking remains relatively unknown to most Australians.

Unlike many trafficking cases that involve organised criminal groups, investigators allege this matter unfolded within a family relationship.

Police claim the alleged conduct involved deception and the use of migration status in a way that left the woman in a vulnerable position overseas.

The circumstances outlined by investigators have raised broader questions about how immigration processes can allegedly be used during relationship disputes and family breakdowns.

Victim advocates have previously warned that some women can find themselves isolated overseas after believing they were travelling temporarily with family members.

In some cases, victims are allegedly left without access to financial support, accommodation or a clear pathway back to Australia.

The latest prosecution places renewed attention on those concerns.

Authorities say the woman eventually returned to Australia, although the case remains the subject of ongoing legal proceedings.

The accused has appeared before court and the allegations have not been proven.

As with all criminal matters, the prosecution must establish its case through the judicial process.

However, the seriousness of the charge means the matter is likely to attract continued attention as it moves through the courts.

Investigators will seek to determine exactly what occurred after the couple travelled overseas, what decisions were made regarding the woman’s visa status and whether the alleged conduct meets the legal threshold required for an exit trafficking conviction.

The case has already become one of the most unusual trafficking prosecutions seen in recent years because of the alleged circumstances surrounding the marriage, the overseas travel and the woman’s reported inability to return when expected.

For now, the legal proceedings remain ongoing, with further court appearances expected as prosecutors continue pursuing the case.