‘Illegal adoption’: Thane cops differ with registrar, say nothing amiss

An illegal adoption alleged by Registrar of Births and Deaths Vasai-Virar Municipal Corporation has led to a difference of opinion with the Thane (rural) police. The police say there was no wrongdoing.

Citing it as a "very sensitive case of illegal adoption", the Registrar of Births and Deaths Dr Sunil Wadkar has decided to approach State Registrar of Births and Deaths in Pune, and also senior officers of State Health Department.

The matter came to light after Wadkar, also health officer at Sir D M Petit Hospital where the baby boy was delivered, found the name of a woman who registered herself during the antenatal stage altered at the the time of delivery. The new name turned out to be that of a woman who had offered to adopt the child.

The Thane Police continue to maintain they "haven't found any evidence" indicating any racket.

"Her admission card was tampered. Her name was scratched and another name was added. The staff got suspicious and I went to check the records. I found registration on December 7 showed a different name," says Wadkar. The hospital detained two women, Bharti Panchal, and Akshata Kadam, who visited the mother after the delivery.

"Akshata Kadam did not even know how the woman looks, but at the hospital she said she is a relative of the woman's husband who was to adopt the baby. Bharati Panchal has no relation to the mother, or Kadam, or the woman who wanted to adopt," says Wadkar.

While Dr Wadkar said both the women needed to be probed as neither had given satisfactory answers, SP Thane (rural) police Sangramsinh Nishandar said their questioning hasn't revealed any complexities.

"Panchal is aunt of child's father. Kadam is a relative of the woman who wanted to adopt. The two know each other and are related, so it is not a racket as it is alleged. Yes, they did plan to adopt the baby, but for us to make a case, money should have changed hands, or the baby should have been adopted. In this case everything is at the planning stage with the mother now saying she is not giving the baby to anyone. We are taking legal opinion and the probe is in progress," added Nishandar.

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