Bhubaneswar: Two baby girls, who had been illegally sold to different people, were rescued by the twin city commissionerate police in the last two days after receiving complaints in Odisha’s capital.
The police rescued a four-month-old baby girl from a couple in Khandagiri area on Tuesday with the help of the Child Welfare Committee (CWC). The couple had allegedly bought her from a woman for Rs 10,000 around four months ago when she was only 21-22 days old.
While buying the baby illegally, the accused couple got her parent’s signature on plain court paper and later forged a fake birth certificate of the child, sources said.
The baby was handed over to the CWC and a case was filed at Khandagiri police station by a member of the childline Ghanashyam Bhoi, and the DCP was informed about the incident.
“The accused couple said as they were childless they took help from another woman to buy the baby for Rs 10,000. All the relevant documents have been seized and an FIR was filed against the accused couple,” a CWC official told local media.
The official also added that the rescued baby girl will be kept at Subhadra Mahatab Seva Sadan, a special adoption agency, till the investigation concludes.
In a similar incident, the police rescued a three-year-old girl from her adoptive parents in Pipili on Tuesday after the minor child’s mother approached Badagada police in Bhubaneswar alleging that her husband had given away their daughter to the couple.
The woman informed the police that her husband had handed over their daughter to a Muslim couple, Osid Mohammed and Mamtaj Begum following. Bhubaneswar Childline officials are investigating whether the couple paid any money to the victim’s father to illegally adopt her.
The victim’s father allegedly took the child away from her mother about four months back and carried out an illegal adoption agreement in a court here in a non-judicial paper with the assistance of a notary advocate.
Sources said that the lawyer changed the name of the child, gave her a Muslim name, and also made an affidavit to change her name.
Badagada police rescued the minor girl and handed her over to Bhubaneswar Childline. The childline officials produced the victim before additional CWC and she was sent to Subhadra Mahatab Seva Sadan.
“As per the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, illegal adoption is punishable up to three years imprisonment or Rs 1 lakh fine. If a child is sold, then it attracts three to seven years imprisonment,” TNIE reported Childline director Benudhar Senapati as saying.
Police sources said the child’s father worked at Osid’s garage. A few days back he had requested money from Osid so that he can look after the needs of his daughter. As the couple did not have any child, Osid told the girl’s father that he wanted to adopt her.
An investigation was launched and action will be initiated against those found violating the law. It is pertinent to mention here that the minor’s father and mother are living separately due to some family feud.
