Kolkata: The detective department has launched a probe into social media posts appealing for adoption of children orphaned

during the pandemic. The probe was ordered by joint CP (crime), Murlidhar Sharma, after a Twitter user lodged a complaint in

this regard and shared a contact number with him.

Activist Sumita Dutta Basu lodged the complaint on May 20 through Twitter. She said that the adoption message had been

circulating on social media for about a month even though it was illegal to adopt children in such a manner. “The message is

Itunu and Samuel Oremade say video calls with their son Andrew bring pain as well as joy.

That's because the three-year-old keeps asking a question they are also desperate for an answer to: why can't their family be together in Canada?

The Oremades live in Airdrie, Alta., and their adopted son is being cared for by Itunu's 79-year-old mother in Lagos, Nigeria.

The first stage of Andrew's citizenship application was approved Dec. 7, 2018. But the second part, which would grant him Canadian citizenship and the ability to enter Canada, has been in the processing queue for 22 months with no updates to the file.

'It's so painful'

Actor Mahhi Vij has said that she, and husband Jay Bhanushali did not legally adopt their foster kids Rajveer and Khushi, but "they are family" and have been living together since their birth. Mahhi and Jay have a biological daughter, Tara and have also been fostering their caretaker's children, Rajveer and Khushi since 2017.

Earlier this year, reports claimed that Jay and Mahhi had "abandoned" their foster kids, because of the birth of their own daughter. However, Mahhi later slammed those reports in a social media post.

Talking about Rajveer and Kushi, Mahhi told Zoom in an interview, "We have not adopted them (Rajveer and Khushi). They have parents. The father is still working with us. They have a mother. It is just that they have stayed with us since the time they were born. They call me mumma and Jay dadda. We were all together. We were like a happy family. There is nothing like legal adoption. I do not know where that came from."

She added that the children have returned to their hometown as their grandfather believed it is safer for them to be at their hometown. In March, Mahhi wrote a long Instagram post in response to rumours that she had abandoned her foster children.

“A lot of you have been questioning, a lot of you have been assuming, a lot of you have been writing anything and everything and it's just FAIR! Yes we are parents, FOSTER Parents! Tara entered our lives as a beautiful blessing but that doesn't change our feelings for Khushi and Rajveer. When Khushi came into our lives, we became parents but a part of us knows that the decisions and the first rights belong to her father and mother. They had always wanted the kids to spend some time in Mumbai but eventually return to their hometown and be with their extended family and grandparents. And we feel that there is no one who can judge what is better for a child, than their parents,” she wrote.

With Covid claiming many lives, people are trying to get foster parents for children who have lost parents to the pandemic. Experts warn child trafficking rackets can take advantage of such a situation

KOCHI: Have you received a WhatsApp forward like this: “If anyone wants to adopt a baby girl, please contact 0971******* (Priyanka). Three-day-old and six-month-old girls available. They lost their parents recently to Covid. Please help these kids get a new life, spread the word.” Many similar broadcast messages are making rounds, where ‘good Samaritans seem to be seeking help to arrange adoption of children, especially girls, orphaned during the pandemic. Experts claim that even though some of these efforts are genuine, they may trigger child trafficking.

Dhananjay Tingal, executive director of Bachpan Bachao Andolan, said the messages spreading on social media calling for prospective foster parents could be an attempt to traffic children and misuse the intention of those genuinely trying to help children. “Ideally, anyone willing to help should be calling government helplines to report on orphaned children,” he said.

“When a child is orphaned, he/she becomes vulnerable. Many kids are suffering because they lost their parents to the pandemic and their caregivers are hospitalised. There is no one to take care of them. Their neighbours or extended families keep away out of fear of contracting the virus,” he said. Dhananjay added that there are no relaxations in the adoption procedure due to the pandemic.

“People can’t just go and buy/take these children because their parents are dead. We have been receiving so many calls regarding adoptions related to Covid deaths of parents/caretakers. Prospective foster parents still need to register with the Central Adoption Resource Authority (CARA) to become eligible for adoption. Though no cases of Covid death-related trafficking have been reported so far, we fear these types of forwarded messages are an indication, and even educated people are not aware of adoption laws,” he said.

"The guy diverts resources meant for vulnerable children to his family."

Limbe First Grade Magistrates Court will on May next week Wednesday make its ruling on whether or not to discharge a case against former Finance Director at Timotheos Foundation, Wim Akster, a Dutch national, who was arrested over indecent assault charges.

According to a police statement in our possession, Akster was arrested in September 2020 on two counts - trafficking in persons and unlawfully and indecently assaulted Alice Mataya from Namikasi in Blantyre.

The statement, signed by sub-inspector FTK Dzimbiri, indicate that the offences were committed in 2019, but the victim only reported the matter in 2020.

Some insiders believe that the stories was fabricated to bring Akster down considering what has been between the suspect and officials from Timetheos Foundation, who are believed to have schemed the allegations.

Adopted people will be able to access their birth certificates irrespective of the wishes of their birth mothers under a law to be introduced by the Government.

Access to birth certificates is to be facilitated by way of a mechanism where surviving mothers can register their consent or their opposition to being contacted, but cannot veto the process, Minister for Children Roderic O’Gorman said.

In cases where the mother has registered her opposition to being contacted, the person seeking their birth certificate will attend a meeting where the wishes of the parent will be outlined, and the need to respect the mother’s privacy rights will be emphasised, prior to the information being released.

There will be no sanctions for anyone who contacts their birth mother against her stated wishes, the Minister added.

Mr O’Gorman was speaking at the publication of the General Scheme of the Birth Information and Tracing Bill, which will encompass a right of access to birth, early life, care, and medical information.

Justin D’Silva

Daijiworld Media Network – Udupi (EP)

Udupi, May 21: A case is registered at Kota police station against a couple that illegally gave away a child for adoption and the doctor couple who adopted the child. The case is registered on the basis of a complaint lodged by the legal observer of the district child protection cell, Prabhakar Achar. Brahmavar child welfare project officer, Kumar, Anganwadi supervisor Laxmi, Kota police station sub-inspector Santhosh BP and assistant sub-inspector Muktha were behind the operation.

The female child that was born a year ago at a private hospital in Karkala. She was illegally handed over for adoption by the child’s parents Suresh and Sukanya to Hangarkatte resident Fayaz Shahista through Udupi resident Hussain. The birth certificate of the child was made to look like from it was from government taluk hospital, Koppa. It was obtained from Dr Balakrishna, the medical officer at the hospital. A case under the Child Justice Act is registered against six people. The year and two-month-old child was rescued and rehabilitated at Krishnanugraha adoption centre, Santhekatte.

“Do not be cheated over advertisements in the media offering children for adoption. Those who want to adopt children can contact district children protection unit Rajatadri, Manipal or children’s welfare committee Udupi or contact www.cara.nic.in,” requested legal observer Prabhakar Achary with people.

An adoptive mother has recounted to TVMnews that in addition to her biological children she had always also wished to have adopted children.

Interviewed by TVMnews she said she treats her own children in the same manner while expressing her satisfaction at increasing her family through adoption.

Currently there are about 500 parents waiting to adopt children from other countries.

197 children from other countries have begun a new life in Malta after being adopted last year.

TVMnews obtained from official sources that last year the most children adopted came from Ethiopia, Cambodia and Russia. There are other countries from which adoption is favoured, including India.

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Periode: 2015 - heden. 

Bij voorbaat dank! Tot nadere toelichting gaarne bereid.

Roelie Post

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