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After 17-year battle, man meets biological mother

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Arun Dohle returns to Germany after meeting in public park

A 37-Year-old German man's 17-year search for his biological mother has yielded fruit.

Arun Dohle, who was allowed by the Supreme Court to see his original adoption records, returned to Germany yesterday after meeting his mother at a public park in the city.

Dohle had said he was not interested in his biological father.

His biological mother's name was not available as she did not wish it to be made known. She asked him to come back to the country with his family and stay here forever.

Dohle said his maternal relatives were also present for the warm reunion. He said his stepfather was aware of his biological mother's past and was emotionally moved when he hugged him.

"This reunion has fulfilled my desire to meet my mother, and I am happy to return home," Dohle said.

It may be recalled that city-based adoption agency from where Arun was adopted in 1973 when he was a two-month-old was fiercely guarding his adoption papers.

To gain access to these papers, Dohle filed a petition in 1993. Dohle was adopted from Kusumbai Motichand Mahila Seva Gram (KMMSG) by the Belgium-based Michael and Gertrud Dohle, on recommendation by Pratap Pawar, brother of NCP chief Sharad Pawar.

His habeas corpus plea to have his biological mother produced in court was dismissed by the apex court. After 17 years of legal struggle since the time he first made the request to KMMSG to be shown his adoption file, his wish was finally granted by the Supreme Court in August.

He then came to know that his mother was a 20-year-old Hindu Maratha, a Class X pass who resided at the agency during her pregnancy after her "friend's brother" refused to marry her.

Dohle is married and runs an NGO called Against Child Trafficking in Germany, which he says aims at "tackling a money-and-demand-driven market in adoption of children that should be labelled as child-trafficking."

Dohle's battle has brought new hope to many children given up for inter-country adoption and who wish to know the identity of their biological parents.

2010 Nov 18