'Adoptive' parents can continue to visit separated kids: Bombay High Court
Bombay high court
MUMBAI: In a case involving alleged trafficking of children for adoption, the Bombay high court to have daily visitation rights. They can meet the children
they had raised, but who since the past four months have been placed in the care of adoption agencies.
The HC bench of Justices B P Dharmadhikari and Sadhana Jadhav did not allow a plea made by the parents' lawyer, Randhir
Kale, to allow them interim custody of the children. The bench instead said that the adoption process of each of the children be
completed within six months. It also observed that in case the adoption process fails it would not be in the interest of the child
to now hand over interim custody to the parent and then have to take it back again.
The HC asked Aruna Pai, an additional pubic prosecutor, to get the city crime branch to verify the information furnished in each
of the affidavits filed by the petitioners in the court. The HC posted the matter on January 13.
The parents had, since November 11, been meeting the children, all boys, regularly. The youngest child is an eight-month-old
infant and the oldest is almost eight years old, all boys.
The bench noted that the "father or mother of child apparently in need of care and protection is before this court with that
prayer".
The families gained custody of the children when they were barely days old by paying off an alleged tout and flouting adoption
rules. The offence of child trafficking attracts a jail term of a minimum 10 years and maximum a life sentence. In their defence,
the parents have said they raised the children as their own.
They comprise couples from modest backgrounds, all were keen to adopt a son.The families gained custody of the children
when they were barely days old by paying off an alleged tout and flouting adoption rules.
The offence of child trafficking attracts a jail term of minimum 10 years and maximum a life sentence
In their defence, the parents have said they raised the children as their own. They comprise couples from modest backgrounds;
all were keen to adopt a son.
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