Police crack adoption racket in Mysuru

MYSURU: Constant warnings of NGOs and child rights activists that Mysuru is turning into a hub of illegal child adoption and trafficking rackets have come true with the Mysuru and Nanjangud police unearthing an illegal sale of a baby to a childless couple. Worryingly, a private hospital too is involved in creating false documents showing the couple who adopted the baby as its biological parents, the police said.

The Nanjangud police started the probe into the case after an alert from an Anganwadi worker and a complaint by the Child Development Project Officer. A special team, formed to crack the case, identified Srimathi alias Saraswathi (60) as the kingpin who was helped by her daughter Lakshmi. Both have been arrested.

The police found that the mother-daughter duo had managed to convince a woman, Jyothi, to give up her child for adoption illegally and sold the baby to a childless couple in Holenarasipur for Rs 4 lakh.
Srimathi had struck the deal with Jyothi when she was pregnant and took her to a private hospital in Mysuru where she underwent a caesarean section. The hospital helped in creating the documents of the child that mentioned the couple who paid the money as its biological parents.

“The accused targeted women who were financially poor and convinced them to give away their children. We are continuing with the investigation and have formed another team to arrest others involved in the racket,” said Mysuru Superintendent of Police R Chethan. 

Accused had sold 2 babies

During the investigation, the police found another similar case where Srimathi had taken a baby from another mother, Manjula, and sold it to a childless couple in Kollegal. The two children have been rescued and placed under the custody of government children’s home. “All adoptions should be done through the Central Adoption Resource Authority (CARA). The act of buying and selling children is illegal. We have collaborated with women and child welfare and health departments to keep a tab on adoptions,” the SP said.