Former CM's son arrested in Andhra adoption racket

Nadendla Manohar, son of former Andhra Pradesh chief minister Nadendla Bhaskara Rao, has been remanded to judicial custody till August 28 for his alleged connection with the child adoption racket in the state, which was busted in April 2001.

Manohar, who is general secretary of the Sparsh Welfare Association, a voluntary organization running a children's home near Somajigudda in Hyderabad, and Jaleel Hussain, president of Sparsh, were produced before the metropolitan magistrate by the Crime Investigation Department of the state police on Friday.

Their bail applications have been posted to August 19 for hearing and their plea for medical assistance has been referred to the jail superintendent.

The CID had filed charges against the seven persons accused in this particular case of the adoption racket under sections 120(B), 341, 372, 419, 420, 465, 468, and 471 of the Indian Penal Code as well as various sections of the Orphanages and Charitable Homes Act.

The police had registered a first information report on June 8, 2001, at the Punjagutta police station on a complaint from M Eswar Rao, project director of the district women and children's welfare (WCW) department.

Based on the FIR the police raided the premises of the SWA in April 26, 2001, and rescued 11 infants -- seven girls and four boys -- who were later shifted to the government-run Shishu Vihar by WCW department officials.

The CID said Sparsh was only authorized to take charge of neglected juveniles and not to give babies in adoption.

Further, the Orphanages and Charitable Homes Rules of Andhra Pradesh specifically bar the procurement and adoption of children by unlicensed organizations.

Sparsh received the babies even though their biological parents did not sign any relinquishing letters in its favour. Police said the accused had tried to lure the biological parents monetarily, but in vain.

In its report, the CID claimed Sparsh had flouted the rules and handed over the children for interim custody to adoptive parents, without any permission from the authorities, including the WCW department and the Central Adoption Resource Agency.

Besides Manohar and Jaleel Hussain, the others accused in the case are Sparsh executive secretary Dechamma Banerjee, vice-president Vasandhani, joint secretary Prema Rao, treasurer Rama Rao and Juvenile Welfare Board ex-chairman Rajeswara Rao.

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