18 Preet Mandir adoption cases get HC go-ahead

The Central Adoption Resource Agency (CARA) has been directed by the Bombay High Court to consider 18 cases of international adoption recommended by Pune-based adoption agency Preet Mandir. A division bench of chief justice Mohit Shah and justice RP Sondur-Baldota, on Friday, allowed CARA, autonomous body under the ministry of women & child development, to process the adoption applications of 18 children that were in the pipeline.

The court order came following an application filed by CARA seeking permission to process 18 adoption cases that had been halted due to revocation of Preet Mandir’s licence.

A South African national of Indian origin, who had filed an application for adoption with Preet Mandir, had filed another plea seeking that the application be processed.

In February, CARA had suspended Preet Mandir’s licence on May 20, the licence was revoked following the Central Bureau of Investigation registering a case against the adoption house for alleged irregularities in sending children on inter-country adoptions.

Vinod Joshi, counsel for CARA, argued that they haven’t been able to process 18 applications due to revocation of licence. “Of these, one is a child with special needs,” said Joshi seeking that they be allowed to process at least the applications that were in the pipeline.

In the interest of the children, the high court allowed CARA to process 18 applications that were in the pipeline.

Pradeep Havnur, advocate for NGO Advait Foundation, one of the petitioners, argued that CARA should seriously take another look at the adoptions cleared by Preet Mandir. “There are charges of false certificates being produced showing that a child has been relinquished and, hence, put up for adoption.”

Havnur added, “There are 5,000 couples in India itself waiting to adopt children. Considering this, applications should be looked into again as to why children were given up for international adoption.”

Agreeing with the arguments, additional solicitor general Darius Khambata said the Pune police had a case of a man who complained that his wife had given away their child for adoption. “The Child Welfare Committee, Pune, gave the go-ahead for adoption instead of counselling the mother against it,” Khambata said.