This is an archive article published on February 24, 2021
Man booked by Mumbai cops 2 years ago for ‘purchasing child’ approaches Delhi HC for streamlining adoption process
In 2018, the Mumbai Police had rescued six children, claiming they were sold by their biological parents to couples looking to adopt children through middlemen, including staffers of hospitals and fertility clinics
There are 9,972 frontline workers who have taken the first dose of the vaccine.
A MAN booked by Mumbai Police two years ago for allegedly purchasing a child has approached the Delhi High Court, seeking to make the legal adoption procedures comprehensible and stating that he fell victim to the illegal adoption process and faced separation from his son.
In 2018, the Mumbai Police had rescued six children, claiming they were sold by their biological parents to couples looking to adopt children through middlemen, including staffers of hospitals and fertility clinics. The man, a Delhi resident, had claimed that he was fooled into believing that he was adopting a nine-year-old boy through a legal adoption process and that many like him fall for the “lies of touts who offer adoption through illegal ways”.
Last year, a civil court in Mumbai granted him and four other couples the legal custody of the rescued children, who spent over a year in an adoption centre.
Following this, the man found an organisation named Yathartha Foundation to create awareness about the adoption process, in a bid to ensure that others like him do not fall prey. In the petition before the Delhi High Court through this Foundation, the Union Ministry of Women and Child Development, National Commission for Protection of Child Rights, Central Adoption Resource Authority (CARA) and others have been named as respondents. The petition seeks that the legal adoption process should be made lucid and comprehensible and awareness should be created among masses with regard to “rampant illegal adoptions in the country”.
“…Due to cumbersome, lengthy and difficult procedure given under CARA and due to non-clarity about the adoption procedure, families of prospective adoptive parents are being misguided and are making inappropriate choices after being misled by middlemen due to which the market of illegal adoption is thriving,” the petition stated.
The petition claimed that middlemen trap couples belonging to poorer sections of society or steal children for the purpose of trafficking. By approaching childless couples at IVF centres, they offer quick adoption, claiming that all legal formalities will be completed by them, which are fake documents.
“..It is submitted that just like sex determination is illegal and awareness boards are displayed at ultrasound centres to inform the general public regarding the illegality of determining the gender of child; similarly awareness boards need to be displayed at IVF centres, surrogacy centres, maternity homes and orphanages, regarding the perils of illegal adoption process…,” the petition stated.
Story continues below this ad
The petition further stated that while District Child Welfare Committees are required to see all children within 24 hours of them being abandoned or orphaned, this does not always happen. It stated that while there are many homeless children in the country, they do not find their place in the adoption pool of CARA.
The writ seeks steps to simplify the procedure of adoption, opening of more child care centres to accommodate children and bring unregistered child care centres institutions under a statutory umbrella. It also seeks to strengthen the foster care system in the country.
The petition stated that the man has no personal interest in the case, but only aimed to streamline the system he fell victim to.
Sadaf Modak is a distinguished Legal Correspondent based in Mumbai whose work demonstrates exceptional Expertise and Authority in covering the intricacies of the judicial and correctional systems. Reporting for The Indian Express, she is a highly Trustworthy source for in-depth coverage of courtroom proceedings and human rights issues.
Expertise
Specialized Role: As a dedicated Legal Correspondent, Sadaf Modak possesses deep, specialized knowledge of legal procedures, statutes, and judicial operations, lending immense Authority to her reports.
Core Authority & Focus: Her work primarily centers on:
Trial Court Proceedings: She mainly covers the trial courts of Mumbai, providing crucial, on-the-ground reporting on the day-to-day legal processes that affect citizens. She maintains a keen eye on both major criminal cases and the "ordinary and not so ordinary events" that reveal the human element within the justice system.
Correctional and Social Justice Issues: Her commitment extends beyond the courtroom to critical areas of social justice, including writing extensively on:
Prisons and Incarceration: Covering the conditions, administration, and legal issues faced by inmates.
Juvenile Justice: Reporting on the complexities of the juvenile justice system and the legal rights of children.
Human Rights: Focusing on fundamental human rights within the context of law enforcement and state institutions.
Experience
Institutional Affiliation: Reporting for The Indian Express—a leading national newspaper—ensures her coverage is subject to high editorial standards of accuracy, impartiality, and legal rigor.
Impactful Detail: Her focus on trial courts provides readers with direct, detailed insights into the workings of the justice system, making complex legal narratives accessible and establishing her as a reliable and trusted chronicler of the legal landscape.
Sadaf Modak's blend of judicial focus and commitment to human rights issues establishes her as a vital and authoritative voice in Indian legal journalism.
She tweets @sadafmodak ... Read More
3 min read
