Cops rule out Nanded-based agency’s involvement in adoption racket

The Tardeo police has ruled out involvement of a Nanded-based adoption agency in an adoption racket. The police, which on Monday started looking into the case of an 18-month-old baby adopted by a Tardeo family, said that the agency’s previous records of adoption were in order.

The social service branch started probing the case following an anonymous letter received by Police Commissioner, Datta Padsalgikar, regarding an illegal adoption. “We tracked down the family to Tardeo that had adopted the baby when he was 10 days old. When we enquired with them, we found that they did not have proper adoption papers and no proof of having adopted the baby from the said agency. Finding something amiss, we handed over the case to Tardeo police,” said an officer of the social service branch.

After investigating the case, the police on Monday arrested Satyashree Gutte (27), Director of Sunita Gutte Shishugrah, a Nanded-based adoption agency. They also arrested the parents Manvi Pawar and Mahesh Pawar along with two other family members Manjari Pawar and Deepak Salvi who visited the adoption centre.

Investigators said that records of other children adopted by other families through the agency were in order. A Tardeo police officer said, “It was only in the case of this baby that the adoption agency had failed to process papers. While the agency claims that they knew the adoptive family and hence, decided to delay the adoption documentation, the family alleges they were not informed at all about any registration that needed to be done.”

The officer added that the agency refuted claims of the baby having been sold to the family for a sum of Rs 1.9 lakh. “Agency officials inform that they never asked for any money from the parents. Instead, they say that they knew the family and since the family was trying for five years to have a natural-born child but had been unsuccessful, they decided to let them adopt,” he said. He added that the agency had alleged that despite repeated reminders to come and submit documents, the family did not turn up.

According to sources, an internal dispute and jealousy may have led a family member to inform authorities about the adoption. For this, they are looking into who sent the letter. “The letter was typed on a blank white paper and just had three lines including the family’s name, the agency’s name and that they had adopted a kid. While it will be difficult, the sender of the letter may be able to throw light on the case,” said an officer.

SS branch sources said they were worried about the future of the child, who allegedly came to the organisation as an orphan when he was just a few days old. “He has an issue with his left eye and hence, the agency was also worried that once he grows up, he may not be favoured by parents looking to adopt. But when he was liked by a family when he was just 10 days old, the agency caretakers were glad that a young boy had found a home,” said an officer. About the parents, the officer said, “They live in a simple one BHK in Tardeo and both husband and wife work. When they are in office, the child is looked after by the grandparents who stay with the couple.”

At present, the baby is in a government-run children’s home where he will be till the court decides on the matter. “We hope the boy does not have to suffer because of this and gets a loving family,” the officer said.