Hospital booked for giving baby for adoption illegally

Mother told police that she had been told the child had died

The Halasuru police registered an FIR against doctors and staff of a private hospital for allegedly giving a 17-day-old baby girl for adoption illegally without the consent of her mother. The police were able to track down the couple that had ‘adopted’ the baby and will be booking a case against them, too.

The mother, a post-graduate in computer application, approached the police on Saturday seeking their help. “She said that her mother told her the baby had died, after which she was subsequently discharged from the hospital. We questioned the hospital staff, tracked down the baby and reunited her with the mother,” said a senior police officer.

The incident was brought to the notice of the NGO Parihar, where a counsellor helped the mother file a complaint with the police seeking legal action. According to the police, the mother is 23 years old and unmarried. She was admitted to a private hospital in Cambridge Layout on November 13 for the delivery. However, the grandmother was upset and feared that the family would be ostracised. “She went behind her daughter’s back and told the doctors that they did not want the baby. We suspect she took money from the hospital to give up the child. The baby was then handed over to a childless couple for adoption without due process,” said a senior police officer.

“However, on Saturday, a hospital staff informed the woman that her baby was alive, after which she came to us,” said a police source.

“We are probing the case, and have summoned the hospital management for questioning,” said the senior police officer.

The police have also booked the mother and grandmother of the baby under the Juvenile Justice Act.

The mother and her baby are presently under the care of Parihar as she has refused to return to her house, said Bindiya Yohana, counsellor. “We will take care of them in every way we can,” she said.

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