Instances of selling of babies and illegal adoptions continue unabated in spite of the steps being taken to prevent them. One such case created sensation in the State capital on Saturday.
Biological parents — Bavirisetty Jaya Krishna and Sunitha of YSR Colony, Vijayawada, sold their seven-month-old baby B. Dhanalakshmi to a couple P. David and Bheema Bai of Kakinada on February 9. However, the parents took the baby back on February 16 when Sunitha could not bear the separation.
Registration Invalid
Both the parties registered the deal with Joint Sub-Registrar Office, Kakinada. District Child Protection Officer (DCPO) Ch. Vijay Kumar, said the deal was not valid under Section 80 of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015.
“We produced the baby before the CWC. Commission Chairman B.V.S. Kumar ordered an inquiry into the alleged baby selling case,” Integrated Child Protection Scheme (ICPS) Protection Officer Y. Johnson told The Hindu.
CWC members L. Francis, Malleswara Rao and P. Ignatius, who examined the case, said District Probation Officer (DPO) of Juvenile Welfare Department would inquire how the parties came into contact, how much money was involved, why the baby was returned and the middlemen’s role. The Women Development and Child Welfare Department (WD&CW) and the Child Welfare Committee (CWC) officials began an inquiry into the alleged case on Saturday.
Criminal case
ICPS outreach worker G. Prema Latha said the baby was doing well. A case would be registered to bind over the parents to prevent them from repeating it, she said.
“The CWC recorded the statements of the biological and the adopted parents. Ms. Sunitha was ordered to produce the baby before the Committee every Tuesday,” Mr. Kumar said.
