Babies being sold for Rs 5000 in Delhi

New Delhi: You can buy a child for Rs.5000 in Delhi. Shocking but true! You can have it nice and easy too - without any paper work, formalities or verification.

A MiD DAY sting operation has exposed a racket being run from a shady nursing home, named Doctor Madhu Tiwari Clinic, on the main road Khichripur in Kalyanpuri. This MiD DAY correspondent went undercover and first approached the clinic on 16th December 2010.

Only a maid and a three-year-old girl were present at that time. This correspondent posed as a poor guy and told the maid Laxmi that since his elder brother, who got married three years ago was unable to have a baby, he needed an infant. Laxmi confirmed that she could arrange a baby but she didn't have anything in stock at the moment and told this correspondent to wait for a few days.

She asked this correspondent to give his phone number so that she could contact him as soon as she got a baby. She said that the baby girl who was sitting with her wasn't able to speak properly and added she had 'adopted' the girl from her family two years ago.

When asked about any charges required for the adoption, Laxmi replied that "nothing here is for free". As the correspondent was leaving, Laxmi asked him to come back next time before 3 pm as the doctor arrives at that time.

The correspondent again visited the clinic on 27th of January 2011, this time with a female reporter of MiD DAY, posing as buyers. As the reporters pressed Laxmi to provide an infant, she again promised that as soon as she found any, she would definitely inform them.

When the reporters offered Laxmi some advance money, she refused saying that until she arranges an infant, she wouldn't take any money. During the conversation, she confirmed that she herself bought a baby, probably the two-year-old girl from before, for just Rs.5000.

She said the reporters could buy that baby immediately if they wanted. The reporters then asked Laxmi about her source. At first she refused to say anything, but when the reporters took her in confidence, Laxmi made a startling revelation.

Laxmi said that the girl whom she bought was from a couple who had six kids and as all of them were girls, they sold the girl to her for Rs.5000. Laxmi confirmed that female infants are easily available from poor parents who are incapable to support them but boys were more costly.

Earlier, sources had confirmed to MiD DAY that a boy is sold for as high as Rs.50,000 to a person from the same area, although Laxmi denied any such information.

The reporters were trying to get more out of her when a lady entered the clinic with a child. Laxmi told them to leave as she indicated that she couldn't talk in front of the lady. While the MiD DAY reporters were leaving, Laxmi again assured she would give a call as soon as she gets another infant as the reporters were not interesting buying the girl she had with her.

What is the law?

Indian citizens who are Hindus, Jains, Sikhs or Buddhists are allowed to formally adopt a child. The adoption is done under the Hindu Adoption and Maintenance Act of 1956. Under this act, a single parent or married couple is not permitted to adopt more than one child of the same sex. Foreign citizens, NRIs, and those Indian nationals who are Muslims, Parsis, Christians or Jews are subject to the Guardian and Wards Act of 1890. Under this act, the adoptive parent is only the guardian of the child until she reaches 18 years of age.

Foreign citizens and NRIs are supposed to formally adopt their child according to the adoption laws and procedures in the country of their residence. This must be carried out within two years of the individual becoming a child's guardian. There is also a Juvenile Justice Act of 2000, a part of which deals with adoption of children by non-Hindu parents. However, this act is applicable only to children who have been abandoned or abused and not to those children who have been voluntarily put up for adoption.

Adoption Blues

A parent who wants to adopt the child should be medically fit and financially secure to be able to care for a child. The person must be at least 21 years old. There is no legal upper age limit for parents but most adoptive agencies set their own benchmarks with regard to age. For a child who is less than a year old, the adoptive parents can have a maximum combined age of 90 years. Also, neither parent must be older than 45 years.

In the case of adoption of older children, the age of the parents may be relaxed accordingly. For example, for a one-year-old child, the age limit is 46 years, for a two-year-old child, it is 47 years and so on. The upper age limit for an adopted child is 12 years while for an adoptive parent it is 55 years. In the case of an adopted child with special needs, the age limit may be relaxed marginally by the state government, depending on the evaluation of the case. However, in all cases, the age of the parent cannot exceed 55 years.

Sandip did it as a single parent

On 4th October 2007, well-known salsa instructor, Sandip Soparrkar adopted a two-year-old child. The adoption generated a lot of controversy as 33-year-old-Sandip was single at that time. Sandip had to go through several procedures like bank account verification and assets declaration, check up for AIDS and other fatal diseases. He was also asked to give in writing to the State explaining how the child will be taken care of in case he dies. The agency which was providing the child for adoption even verified Snadip's character from his relatives and friends. Even his parents had to vouch for his good conduct. Later, Sandip married supermodel Jessie Randhawa.