Pound Pup Legacy

preet mandir; Chargesheet accuses trustees, CARA official of connivance

By Ishfaq Naseem, 09/03/2011

Unwed women made to deliver babies for foreign adoptions: CBI

preet mandir; Chargesheet accuses trustees, CARA official of connivance

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), in a chargesheet filed before Special Judge S N Sardesai on Tuesday, accused adoption agency Preet Mandir of making unwed women deliver children for adoptions by foreign nationals at huge sums of money. The agency also blamed former managing trustee Joginder Singh Bhasin, Central Adoption Research Agency (CARA) former chairman Jainendra Kumar Mittal and four other people, including trustees of the agency, of official connivance in faking rejection slips from Indian parents to make way for foreign adoptions.

The chargesheet said the agency had booked a suite for Mittal at Hotel Aurora Towers when he came on an official inspection of adoption agencies in 2007 besides footing the bill for his stay. It said the agency had also bargained for a discount on the Rs 11,000-room tariff when he came along with CARA deputy director B K Sahu and accounts officer Sushil Kumar Gupta. Of the total bill of Rs 16,361 between June 7 and June 9, 2007, Preet Mandir had paid Rs 5,361 while the rest was paid by Mittal. The official had, meanwhile, taken a travelling allowance advance from the agency for the tour.

It said Mittal had also, during his stay at Hotel Royal Inn, Mumbai, in 2010, received a packet of Rs 50,000 from one Pramod Magar, social worker at Preet Mandir, deputed by Bhasin to deliver the money. The CBI said Mittal had received the delivery through one of the hotel staffers.

The chargesheet said Preet Mandir, which had opened a unit ? Sai Dham at Tal Maval ? for training and rehabilitation of unwed women, used to make them deliver babies who were later raised at another of its unit for adoptions. The unit was, however, admitting pregnant women only. It executed 69 surrender deeds with unwed women and their children were admitted to Unit I and II of Preet Mandir. The chargesheet also said the unit was used only for procurement of children and the women were made to deliver babies at private hospitals like KEM Hospital and Ashiwbad Hospital at Talegaon.

The trustees have been accused of violating guidelines by procuring false rejection slips from Indian parents in violation of the provision that only those children who can't be sent for in-country adoption can be given for inter-country adoption. Some Indian parents had denied signing on such slips during investigation. Former managing trustee Bhasin has been accused of being actively involved in the practice besides using the trust money for his personal benefits.

The CBI has also accused the trust of kidnapping some boys and colluding with an official of Navrange Balak Ashram, Pandharpur, to convince the poor to send their children to the agency and later deny the parents custody of their children. It said many foreign adoptive parents were made to donate up to $10,000 instead of the CARA-stipulated adoption fee of $3500.

An official of Preet Mandir said Bhasin has resigned as managing trustee after the CBI case and the agency did not do any inter-country adoptions now.

IndianExpress

Organizations: ACT CASE Preet Mandir

CBI files chargesheet in Preet Mandir case

CBI files chargesheet in Preet Mandir case
It contains names of 114 witnesses, 168 documents against accused

Vijay Chavan
Posted On Wednesday, March 09, 2011 at 06:03:07 AM

The Special Crime Branch of the CBI on Tuesday filed an 87-page chargesheet against six accused including trustees of Preet Mandir and then chairman of Child Adoption Resource Agency (CARA) for their alleged involvement in illegal child procurement racket and extorting money from the parents.

The chargesheet filed by CBI contains 114 witnesses’ names and 168 documents describing the depth of crime and conspiracy.

Inspector S Bhattacharya, of CBI (Mumbai), who is an investigating officer, filed the charge sheet through lawyer Vivek Saxena in the court of Special Judge S N Sardesai.

Managing Trustee of Balwant Kartar Anand Foundation alias Preet Mandir, Joginder Singh Bhasin (72), his trustee wife Mahinder (68) and son Gurpreet (42), Vasudev Gangadhar Darshane (60) who is superintendent of Vasudev Babaji Navrange Balak Ashram in Pandharpur, then social worker with Preet Mandir, Kalyani Nagar, Chandrashekhar Admane (39) and then Chairman of CARA, New Delhi, Jainendra Kumar Mittal (55) are the names mentioned in the chargesheet as accused in this case.

According to the chargesheet, the investigation has revealed that during the period of 2002-10, Joginder Singh had entered into criminal conspiracy with Mahinder, Gurupreet, Darshane, Admane, Mittal and collected children from all over the state with a motive to send them for in-country and inter-country adoption to extort huge money from adoptive parents.

Preet Mandir orphanage
Preet Mandir-I, located in the Camp area and Preet Mandir–II at Kalyani Nagar were orphanage centres while Sai Dham was a rehabilitation centre for distressed women.

The chargesheet further stated, “Joginder was also in illegal procurement of children and for this purpose, he opened a rehabilitation centre, Sai Dham, at Kanhe Phata, near Pune in 2004.

Joginder, Darshane and Admane had fraudulently kidnapped four children of Ramesh Dattatray Kulkarni, fabricated documents and illegally confined the four minors and then sent them in inter-country adoption.
Joginder had fraudulently obtained rejection slips from Indian parents and then forged these rejection slips with a motive to use these slips to send children in inter-country adoption.”

As part of the investigation, CBI probed some 70 in-country and five inter-country adoption cases of Preet Mandir. The charges say that trustees had allegedly misappropriated trust’s fund to the tune of over Rs 47 lakh.

Preet Mandir has six accounts, five saving accounts and one Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) account to collect foreign remittances, with Union Bank of India, Camp branch.

Joginder is common signatory for all accounts. Joginder extorted money from Indian parents for adoption in the form of donation before handing over the adopted child.

All three family members of Joginder had misappropriated the orphanage funds for their own use during 2002-10 by availing payment of credit card bills raised due to use of their credit cards issued in personal names.

The more interesting fact mentioned in the chargesheet is that Joginder had vastly misappropriated the trust’s fund for luxury goods, air travel and stay in five-star hotels.

CARA’s then chairman Mittal habitually accepted considerations from Joginder with whom he was having official dealings.

CARA being the central authority which is functioning as the nodal body in the country in the matter of adoption. Special judge S N Sardesai announced the next date of hearing is on April 8.

Modus operandi

Talking to Pune Mirror, an investigating officer said Singh would enable prospective parents to visit Preet Mandir.

Subsequently, the meeting was organised, the couple would show interest in a particular child and Joginder would hand over the child to prospective parents with or without agreement for foster care and once the bonding is cemented between the couple and the child, he would make unreasonable demand of donations running into a few lakhs rupees upto US$10,000.

Charges on scammers

Joginder is already out on bail in this case while other accused are out on anticipatory bail since October. All six accused in Preet Mandir case have been charged under Section 420 (cheating), Section 120B (criminal conspiracy) and Section 467 (forgery).

The accused have also been charged under sections 13(2) and 13(1)(d) of Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988.

Organizations: ACT CASE Preet Mandir, ACT CASE Ramesh Kulkarni

Persons: Sardar Joginder Singh Bhasin

Continuation “DNA case” Indian couple

Zwolle-Lelystad, 23 June 2010 – Today, the three-judge family section of the District Court of Zwolle-Lelystad proceeded behind closed doors with the hearing of the request filed by the Indian couple in the “DNA case”. For further information about this case please be referred to the press releases issued by the court on 11 June and 15 June last.

Adoptive parents present
Today’s hearing was attended by the adoptive parents and their lawyers, the special curator of the child and the lawyer of the Indian couple.

Since the case is heard behind closed doors no further information can be given about the substance of the case.

Child psychologist as expert
The court wants to seek an expert opinion on the question whether the child is able to fully understand the case and the consequences it may have for him. The court intends to appoint a child psychologist as expert. Through conversations with the child the expert will have to try to provide clarity about the above question. The lawyers of the parties have been invited to submit a joint proposal for the appointment of an expert. Subsequently, the court will make the appointment.

Bron: Rechtbank Zwolle-Lelystad
Datum actualiteit: 24 juni 2010

Organizations: ACT CASE Nagarani

Request Indian parents for DNA testing rejected

Zwolle-Lelystad, March 7, 2011 - The Family Court of Zwolle-Lelystad has ruled on March 4 in the case of the Indian couple. The Indian couple's request for a DNA test to determine that a boy adopted by Dutch parents is their biological son, was dismissed by the Court.

Kidnapping

The Indian couple was robbed in 1999 of their son when he was two years old. He would be with the adoptive parents in the Netherlands. These adoptive parents would have adopted their son would in good faith and take care of the now 12-year-old boy since many years.

Request of Indian couple

Organizations: ACT CASE Nagarani

„C?p?unarii“ complic? problema adop?iilor

Andreea Ofi?eru
783 afi??ri
Luni 7 mar 2011

Emma Nicholson (st?nga) ?i Bogdan Panait (dreapta)

FOTO: MIRCEA P?UN

Emma Nicholson (st?nga) ?i Bogdan Panait (dreapta)

Num?rul mare de români care tr?iesc în str?in?tate reclam? modificarea legisla?iei privind adop?iile. Baroneasa Emma Nicholson nici nu vrea s? aud?. Iminenta schimbare a legii adop?iilor a adus-o pe Baroneasa Emma Nicholson la Bucure?ti: aceasta sus?ine c? nu e bine s?-i lase pe copii s? fie adopta?i de românii din str?in?tate.

Dup? ce în 2009, Bogdan Panait, ?eful Oficiului Na?ional pentru Adop?ii, a trimis un memorandum c?tre Guvern pentru ridicarea interdic?iei la adop?iile interna?ionale, acum el vrea s? modifice legea 273/2004 -a adop?iilor na?ionale. Propunerea legislativ? a luat toate semn?turile de la ministere ?i urmeaz? s? primeasc? avizul Guvernului.

Una dintre schimb?rile propuse se refer? la modul în care copiii pot fi adopta?i de c?tre cet??enii români din str?in?tate. Astfel, dac? românii afla?i în alte ??ri vor s? adopte copii din România, ei o vor putea face. La fel, dac? rudele de pân? la gradul IV ale micu?ilor de la noi vor s?-i adopte în ??rile unde î?i au domiciului, ei vor fi l?sa?i de lege s?-i adopte. Bogdan Panait spune c? m?sura se justific?, deoarece sunt multe cereri de la cet??enii români care tr?iesc în Spania, Fran?a, Italia, Marea Britanie.

„Sau sunt cazuri în care un cet??ean român se c?s?tore?te cu un cet??ean str?in, dar cel str?in nu poate adopta copilul so?iei sau so?ului pentru c? nu-i permite legea. Am un caz de curând al unei mame care a decedat ?i i-au r?mas ?ase copii, cu ta?i diferi?i ?i necunoscu?i, iar unchiul din Belgia vrea s? adopte copiii. Mai am un caz al unui ambasador care e în misiune în alt? ?ar? ?i vrea s? adopte copilul. Din punctul meu de vedere, orice român care locuie?te în str?in?tate ?i nu mai are domiciliul în România are acelea?i drepturi ca ?i cei de aici", a spus Bogdan Panait. ?eful ORA sus?ine c? astfel de cazuri sunt la nivelul zecilor într-un an, iar legea vine s? înt?reasc? adop?ia na?ional? ?i s? o clarifice.

"Ceea ce se în?elege prin adop?ie interna?ional? se refer? de fapt la cet??eanul român din str?in?tate, dar nu deschide nicio porti?? pentru alt cet??ean", precizeaz? Panait. Ca argument pentru schimbarea legii, Panait spune c? a discutat cu sute de oameni care lucreaz? în adop?ii ?i c? ace?tia i-au spus c? au aceea?i problem?.

Baroneasa vrea ca micu?ii s? r?mân? în ?ar?

Chemat? de Secretariatul General al Guvernului s?-?i exprime o pozi?ie oficial? fa?? de aceast? problem?, baroneasa Emma Nicholson, fost raportor pentru România în problema protec?iei copiilor, nici nu vrea s? aud? de plecarea micu?ilor. Nicholson a fost weekendul trecut în Bucure?ti ?i s-a întâlnit cu oficalii ORA. "Am o pozi?ie foarte clar? fa?? de aceast? propunere. Este o gre?eal? ?i îi va face r?u Romaniei ca na?iune, va fi d?un?toare copiilor ?i va redeschide uria?ul scandal interna?ional de corup?ie al adop?iilor interna?ionale, care a fost închis înainte de intrarea în Uniunea European?", a declarat Emma Nicholson, pentru "Adev?rul".

Baroneasa afirm? c? propunerea încalc? de fapt Conven?ia ONU privind Drepturile Copiilor, care se reg?se?te în legisla?ia româneasc?, unde adop?ia interna?ional? este considerat? ultima solu?ie. "Copilul are dreptul la identitate, la intimidate ?i peste toate, la protec?ie. De aceea, este gre?it s? spunem c? trebuie s? r?spundem românilor din str?in?tate care vor copii. Datoria Guvernului este fa?? de copii ?i fa?? familiile din care ei provin", a precizat Nicholson.

Un alt argument adus de baroneas? este c? românii pleca?i în str?in?tate au emigrat pentru a-?i asigura supravie?uirea economic?, ceea ce înseamn? c? nu ob?in joburi foarte bine pl?tite astfel încât s? poat? s?-i între?in? pe copii. "Argumentul c? familiile de români din str?in?tate vor copii nu se sus?ine, nu st? în picioare nici în privin?a drepturilor copilului, nici în datoria Guvernului Roman fa?? de ei sau în situa?ia economic? mai bun? din str?in?tate", a declarat Nicholson.

"România va fi omul bolnav al Europei din nou"

Fostul raportor pledeaz? pentru înt?rirea sistemului na?ional de adop?ie. "ORA mi-a spus c? procedurile pentru adop?ia intern? nu sunt perfecte, dar dac? a?a stau lucrurile, atunci este de o mie de ori mai dificil s? avem proceduri corecte pentru str?in?tate", a mai spus baroneasa. Ea a completat c? indicele de corup?ie al României a crescut în ultimii doi ani, pe fondul crizei economice.

"Dac? atunci când indicele de coruptie era mai mic, erau probleme la adop?ie, acum, o s? fie ?i mai r?u", a spus Nicholson. Ea a recomandat ca ORA s? renun?e la modificarea legii adop?iei. În caz contrar, România se va afla într-un scandal imens în UE pentru c? sunt grupuri sensibile peste tot în statele membre care nu sunt de accord cu lucrul acesta.

"Iar eu ?tiu multe astfel de grupuri minunate în Spania, în Italia, în Fran?a, multe în Marea Britanie ?i Irlanda. România va fi catalogat? din nou ca omul bolnav al Europei ?i va c?dea drastic", a concluzionat baroneasa.

Puncte de vedere diferite pentru relaxarea adop?iei în Europa

TAGURI

Cât despre rezolu?ia din ianuarie a Parlamentului European, prin care acesta recomand? relaxarea adop?iilor în ??rile europene, Emma Nicholson a spus c? "nu e treaba Parlamentului European s? se ocupe de adop?iile in?ernationale".

"Adop?iile europene nu exist?. Este un lucru fals. Parlamentul European încearc? s? se ocupe de un lucru pentru care nu are competen?e. Am auzit un coleg din acest parlament c? adop?iile din Europa ar trebui s? fie o pia?? liber?, ceea ce înseamn? de fapt trafic", este de p?rere Nicholson.

Fa?? de aceea?i problem?, Bogdan Panait are p?reri diferite. El sus?ine c? aceast? ultim? rezolu?ie a Consiliului Europei arat? clar c? minorul trebuie s? creasc? în familie. "?i aici trebuie s? spun c? partea român? din PE a avut un mare merit, ceea ce nu s-a spus în presa romaneasc? din p?cate", a spus Panait.

Baroneasa se întoarce

Baroneasa Emma Nicholson a fost raportor al Parlamentului European pentru România timp de ?ase ani, înainte ca ?ara noastr? s? adere la Uniunea European?. În vremea mandatului s?u, baroneasa a urm?rit îndeaproape situa?ia sistemului de protec?ie a copilului ?i a criticat de multe ori autorit??ile pentru lipsa de m?suri.Tot în aceea?i perioad?, Nicholson a fost co-pre?edinte al Grupului la Nivel Înalt Copiii României, institu?ie care în prezent exist? numai pe hârtie.

Emma Nicholson a declarat c? va veni mai des în România în calitatea ei de parlamentar, membru al unui grup britanic împotriva traficului de copii, care va avea filial? ?i în rândul parlamentarilor români. Doamna Nicholson va fi cea care îi va ajuta pe parlamentarii din România s? pun? pe picioare filiala de la noi. "Am fost acord ca eu s? fiu partenerul care s? implementeze acest grup în România. În trei sferturi din ??rile europene exista deja acest grup", a conchis Nicholson.

Care sunt gradele de rudenie

Legisla?ia româneasc? prevede c? un copil r?mas f?r? p?rin?i în România ?i declarat adoptabil poate fi înfiat în str?in?tate doar de rudele pân? la gradul III. Bogdan Panait vrea s? extind? aceast? op?iune pân? la rudele de gradul IV, îns? baroneasa se opune. Iata care este ierarhizarea gradelor de rudenie:
-Gradul I - p?rinte-copil.
-Gradul II - fra?i, bunici-nepo?i
-Gradul III - verii primari, nepo?i de frate, unchi ?i m?tu?i, str?bunici-str?nepo?i
-Gradul IV - verii de gradul al doilea, unchii "mari" (fratele bunicului).

Persons: Barones Emma Nicholson to Winterbourne

Countries: Romania

Ombudsman could investigate child 'snatching' by courts

An independent Ombudsman could be appointed to investigate cases in which social workers and the courts are accused of taking children from their homes without justification.

Tim Loughton Photo: UPPA

Patrick Sawer 8:30AM GMT 06 Mar 2011

Tim Loughton, the children's minister, is considering the landmark step after he grew concerned over a number of cases where children have been wrongly taken and placed for adoption.

Countries: United Kingdom

Legea adop?iei a fost depus? la Parlament, în form? final?

de Admin » 16 Noi 2010 10:15

Proiectul redeschide procedurile pentru adop?iile interna?ionale ?i elimin? obstacolele de care se lovesc acum cei care vor s? înfieze un copil

Asocia?ia Catharsis Bra?ov a înregistrat recent, la Cancelaria Parlamentului României, ultima variant? a Proiectului de lege privind adop?ia în România, completat? cu propuneri trimise de speciali?ti ai serviciilor publice sociale ?i ai unor ONG-uri din ?ar?.

Astfel, în prevederile propuse termenul de „adop?ie na?ional?” va defini adop?ia încredin?at? familiilor care î?i au domiciliul stabil în România. „Adop?ie intracomunitar?” va însemna adop?ia încuviin?at? familiilor sau persoanelor cu domiciliul în ??rile membre UE, iar „adop?ia interna?ional?” va fi adop?ia încuviin?at? persoanelor sau familiilor cu domiciliul stabil în statele semnatare ale Conven?iei de la Haga.

Organizations: Catharsis, Lobby to Re-open Romanian Adoptions (2001- )

Persons: Azota Popescu

Înc? un pas spre reluarea adop?iilor interna?ionale

22.02.2011 10:20:04 (Arhiva)

Publicitate

Propunerea legislativ? a Asocia?iei „Catharsis“ de a fi reluate adop?iile interna?ionale, a mai f?cut un pas c?tre împlinire, membrii Comisiei pentru Drepturile Omului, Culte ?i Probleme ale Minorit??ilor Na?ionale din Camera Deputa?ilor desemnîndu-l pe deputatul Sergiu Andon s? elaboreze, din punct de vedere tehnic, proiectul de lege care va fi supus dezbaterii Parlamentului. „Este o veste extraordinar? pentru noi, decizia comisiei ne arat? c? sîntem pe drumul cel bun. Credem c? vom reu?i s? d?m copiilor o familie iubitoare a?a cum merit?. Dac? lucrurile vor decurge normal, sper?m ca la începutul verii s? putem avea aceast? lege votat? ?i promulgat?“, a declarat ieri, Azota Popescu (foto), pre?edintele Asocia?iei „Catharsis“.

Au cerut acte normative interna?ionale

Organizations: Lobby to Re-open Romanian Adoptions (2001- ), Catharsis

Persons: Azota Popescu

Alleged illegal adoption… Mother collapses at HANCI Commission of enquiry

Umu Jalloh whose twins a boy and a girl were alleged to have been illegally adopted by Help A Needy Child International (HANCI), collapsed yesterday at the government set Commission of enquiry sitting at the Miatta Conference Centre, Brookfields Freetown.
She collapsed while explaining because since her twins were taken away from her 13 years ago by HANCI, she has not set eyes on them or got information about the whereabouts of her twins Sento and Alhassan Koroma.
The widow and mother of five children explained that she lives at Old Magburaka Road, Makeni and sells bananas to sustain her. Narrating her ordeal in tears Umu told the Commission that her husband died shortly after he realized that his twins are no more to be seen.
She maintained that they came in contact with HANCI through one Peter Lamin, Henry Abu, John Gbla and one Dr Kargbo. She further explained that while she was sitting at her house in Makeni breast feeding her twins, Mr. Lamin, Mr Gbla, Mr Abu and one Dr Kargbo met her and said they liked the twins and want to help them with their education.
Umu further stated that after the four people visited her thrice, she handed over the twins to them and they took them to the HANCI Orphanage, adding that after the twins were taken away from her she usually visited the Orphanage Home to see her children.
When I heard that the rebels were coming closer to us, “I went to collect my children at the Orphanage but Mr. Lamin asked me to leave the place. I burst into tears and went home”.
When I went home, she continued I explained to my husband Mr Lexto Koroma the way Mr Lamin treated her and he immediately went in the house and fell sick with broken heart and later died.
Asked by the Commissioners if she received any money or documents in exchange for her twins, she replied no
Umu Jalloh further explained that later on she came down to Freetown to ask Mr Lamin about her tiwns, but she was walked out. She said she did not have any relatives and did not know Freetown well so she was spending the night in a car park nearly going mad because of the way she was treated. “I am pleading to this Commission to help me get my twins back. I have lost my husband, please don’t let me lose my twins”, she cried out loudly and then collapsed.
Earlier on Kumba Mansaray, a widow and amputee explained that she lives in Makeni and she is a gardener. She explained that her husband was killed in Segbewema during the war. She said that she has three children but one Isata Bangura was taken away from her by HANCI adding that Mr Gbla and Mr Lamin from HANCI took her three years old daughter on the pretext that he was going to help her get quality education.
Kumba stated that Mr Lamin told her that because they are of the same tribe, they will not deceive her, and they took the child away.
She said they also told her that some of her friend’s children were already at the home learning and told her that she was free to visit the child anytime.
She further narrated that her child was at the Orphanage when the rebels entered Binkolo and she went to the orphanage and discovered that Mr Gbla and her daughter were no where to be found.
Kumba also told the Commission that when the rebels attacked Makeni she was in the bush for three months and when the rebels left she visited the Orphanage again but found it closed.
She went on that while searching for her daughter she found Mr Gbla at Calaba Town, and she asked him for her child and he told her that the child was in America and he is no longer in care of her.
“I went to Mr Lamin’s house another time and he shouted at me and I burst into tears and went to Mr Abu’s he also shouted at me. I started shedding tears, by then I did not have transport to travel back to Makeni so I begged for three days before having transportation fare”.
Also asked by the Commissioners if she received any documents from HANCI, she replied no and burst into tears.
Because of the pathetic atmosphere at the Commission, the enquiry was adjourned to Tuesday 8 March 2011. The chairperson of the Commission, Justice Ade Elisa Showers asked the Secretary to the Commission to write to the Ministry of Health and Sanitation to request for first aid since most of the parents are suffering from high blood pressure.
The Commission was set up by the government of Sierra Leone to look into the issue of HANCI’s alleged illegal adoption, whether the parents gave their children with consent, whether HANCI explained to the parents fully about adoption and whether the adoption is in line with the country’s adoption law.
Mr Mustapha Rogers and Albert Kanu are Commissioners of the enquiry.
By Abibatu Kamara

Comments are closed.

Countries: Sierra Leone, United States of America

Organizations: Help a Needy Child International (HANCI)

Kenya: US Department of State Adoption Alert – March 2, 2011

March 3, 2011

From the US Department of State:

Kenya Adoption Alert

Adoption Alert

Countries: Kenya, United States of America