Prime accused in child adoption racket granted bail

Anita Sen, prime accused in the child adoption racket that rocked Andhra Pradesh three months ago, was released on bail on Tuesday evening after spending 67 days in prison.

Ninth Metropolitan Magistrate N Anand Rao granted bail to Anita Sen on furnishing Rs 25,000 and two sureties and directed her to cooperate with the state's Criminal Investigation Department as and when required.

Fifty-four-year-old Anita Sen is the wife of Additional Director-General of Police Swaranjit Sen and the executive director of Precious Moments, an unrecognised adoption home.

After the racket was exposed, Anita was on the run for several weeks before surrendering in the ninth metropolitan magistrate's court on May 19.

The CID had filed a charge sheet against eight accused, including Anita Sen and her associate Sarita, on July 17.

As many as 54 infants and seven grown-up children were rescued from Precious Moments on April 26 this year.

The charge sheet charged the accused with entering into a criminal conspiracy to operate an unauthorised child adoption home for pecuniary gains.

They were also charged with suppressing facts, obtaining signatures of biological parents by deceitf, fabricating and creating documents of relinquishment deeds in the names of non-existent persons and also forging documents for the purpose of in-country and inter-country adoptions.

Meanwhile, Indian Council of Social Welfare president Roda Mistry moved an anticipatory bail application before the Metropolitan Sessions Judge K C Bhanu apprehending arrest by the CID in connection with the child racketeering case.

A former Congress minister, Roda Mistry figures as an accused in the case along with Anita Sen.

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