Adoption racket busted

The modus operandi involved the services of middlemen posing as social workers who provided the creche with the kids. The gang would zero in on impoverished people in districts, particularly from Nalgonda, through these brokers, who bought the kids from parents offering them cash. Rates, reportedly, varied from around Rs 2,000 to Rs 5,000 per child.

The organisation paid Rs 15,000 to 20,000 per child to the brokers 8212; anindication of the profit margins they themselves obtained from the cash-rich foreign clients desirous of adopting the children.

This only finishes part one of the scam. After the prospective new parents have selected their child, the Good Samaritan would engage in completing formalities for obtaining passports and completing the adoption procedures8217;. Total charges, including the price for the child/children, it is learnt, came to around 2,500 dollars about Rs 1 lakh per child.

The Nalgonda police, who obtained a lead in the case a few days ago, managed to burrow into the scheme of things after winning the confidence of one of the racketeers, Keeri. Through her, they obtained the address of the creche here.

The posh two-storeyed building, in which the creche was being run, was hired out by Samaritan for Rs 20,000 per month. It has as many as 30 women attendants and a caretaker in its employment. Separate registers were maintained for each child, wherein all particulars including their native placeswere mentioned. Almost all the children were from Nalgonda area, native district of Home Minister A Madhava Reddy.

Reddy visited the place, and said that a hunt has been launched to trace Subbaiah and his associate, Margaret Samyogita. Special teams have been dispatched to different parts of the state, Reddy said, adding that the accused would be arrested soon.

According to the Minister, 18 children have been sent abroad through this organisation during the past six months.

Good Samaritan has also been the source for six similar organisations in the state, including one in the city, in arranging for the adoptions, he said.

quot;They even provided incorrect addresses in the passport applications of the children,quot; the Home Minister said.

Reddy said that Subbaiah used to run an orphanage at Satyaveedu. quot;We are probing to find out his antecedents and whether he has any political connections,quot; Reddy added. Efforts are being made to identify the parents of the children and hand them over to them.