India Adoption Racket

“A Delhi-based doctor and three others have been put on trial by a court for allegedly running an adoption racket in the capital. The court has ordered framing of charges of criminal conspiracy, cheating and forgery against the four accused saying there was sufficient material and documents on record to proceed against them.

Additional sessions judge Hemani Malhotra said that accused Dr Atul Thapar had forged birth records of a girl child to show that she was born to a woman while the truth was that the baby was sold to her.

“As per the allegations, he (Thapar) also gave wrong information to MCD to procure false birth certificate of the baby girl alleged to have been born at his hospital Kamlesh Medical Centre which was under his administration,” the court said.

The order came against Pawan Kumar, Ranjeeta Bhasin, Shobha Gupta and Dr Thapar, who were arrested in December 2010 for allegedly indulging in kidnapping of children. The court’s order came while allowing the revision petition of the state challenging the magisterial court order on framing of charges against the accused.

The state had said that the magisterial court’s order suffered infirmity and illegality and had ignored material facts and documents relating to the case. The prosecution had said that on secret information in the first week of December 2010, Pawan Kumar and Ranjeeta were arrested from Shivaji Vihar with a child in their lap on December 19, 2010.

The duo disclosed about purchase and sale of some other children as well and during the course of investigation, three more children were recovered at their instance. During investigation, it came to light that Shobha Gupta was engaged in similar activities and she along with her associate Anupama Lal had sold a baby girl of 8-10 days to Mamta Aggarwal and had obtained false MCD birth certificate of the infant from a doctor named Sunita Mehta. The natural parents of the four babies recovered in the matter could not be traced yet, the court had earlier said.

The sessions court upheld the magisterial court’s order in relation to charges of criminal conspiracy and keeping in confinement a kidnapped person framed against Pawan Kumar. Regarding accused Ranjeeta Bhasin and Shobha Gupta, the sessions court said that prima facie record revealed that both of them used to work in tandem.

“As per the allegations and the evidence collected on record accused Ranjeeta Bhasin was instrumental in preparation of documents like fake admission to Kamlesh Medical Centre, discharge slip, entry in the admission register and register maintained qua information given to MCD . She was also a tool in inducing beneficiaries (persons concerned who received children) to part with substantial amounts with a promise to deliver legal adoption documents,” the court said.”

Doctor in dock for adoption scam[Times of India 10/9/14]

“A court here has ordered framing of charges of criminal conspiracy, cheating and forgery against a Delhi-based doctor and three co-accused, arrested for allegedly running an adoption racket.

Additional Sessions Judge Hemani Malhotra said there was sufficient material and documents on record that accused Dr Atul Thapar had forged birth records of a girl child to show that she was born to a woman while the truth was that the baby was sold to her.

“As per the allegations, he (Thapar) also gave wrong information to MCD online to procure false birth certificate of the baby girl alleged to have been born at his hospital Kamlesh Medical Centre which was under his administration.

“Hence, I am of the opinion that charges under Sections 420 (cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property)/ 465 (forgery)/ 468 (forgery for the purpose of cheating)/ 471 (using forged document as genuine)/ 120B (criminal conspiracy) of the IPC are required to be framed against him,” the court said.

The order came against Pawan Kumar, Ranjeeta Bhasin, Shobha Gupta and Dr Thapar, who were arrested in December 2010 here for allegedly indulging in kidnapping of children.

The court passed the order while allowing the revision petition of the state challenging the magisterial court order on framing of charges against the accused.

The state had alleged that the magisterial court’s order suffered infirmity and illegality and had ignored material facts and documents relating to the case.

The prosecution had said that on a secret information in the first week of December 2010, Pawan Kumar and Ranjeeta were arrested from Shivaji Vihar here with a child in their lap on December 19, 2010.

The duo disclosed about purchase and sale of some other children as well and during the course of investigation, three more children were recovered at their instance.”

Adoption racket: Delhi court orders framing of charges against four[Zee News 10/08/14]

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