SC upholds HC ruling, OKs 'miracle baby' adoption by Malta-based couple

BAREILLY: The Supreme Court has upheld Delhi high court's decision to give the custody of 'miracle baby' (the court addressed her only as 'S') to her new parents based in Malta, who had adopted her through the Central Adoption Resource Authority (CARA).

The judgment, delivered on Friday, which finally paved the way for Baby 'S' to be with her parents after months of legal rigmarole, said: "They (adoptive parents) were aware that child 'S' had a medical condition (epilepsy) and were still willing to adopt her. We do not find any reason to interfere with the impugned (HC) judgment."

In 2019, the baby was found abandoned in an earthen pot and got the moniker "miracle baby" since she survived despite all odds.

Later, in December 2022, right-wing activists filed an FIR against the orphanage in Bareilly and the adoptive parents, charging them with "wrongful conversion" alleging that the orphanage had changed the baby's faith and got an Aadhaar with a "new Christian name." As reported by TOI, the HC directed the UP government "not to harass the orphanage staff and create hurdles in the baby's adoption process or her journey to Malta with her adoptive parents".

The nephew of former MLA Pappu Bhartaul aka Rajesh Mishra, Amit, then approached the SC seeking "cancellation of her adoption" alleging "discrepancies in the process".

Primrose Edmond, superintendent of Bareilly-bases orphanage Warne Baby Fold, told TOI: "We'll approach the district administration to complete the adoption formalities as her birth certificate, passport etc, are not yet done."

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