Guardians get time in adoption case of orphan children in Mysore
By: Shilpa P.
Mysore: The guardians of the two orphaned children, who are up in arms against them being given up for adoption to a couple in Italy by a private trust with the blessings of the Child Welfare Committee of the government, appeared on Friday before the City Civil and Sessions Court in Mayo Hall, Bengaluru , where the case is pending.
The judge has given them 30 days to furnish documents to prove they are the children's rightful guardians and their relationship with them. They have also been told to approach the Child Welfare Committee in Mysore to review its order declaring the children legally free for adoption.
Both the children's aunt, Neelamma and her husband Nataraj were surprised to learn from certified copies obtained from the court that 42 year old Vito Giam Pietro, a carpenter from Dueellelegnos Sas in Italy, and his wife, Maria Vasco, 36, had approached the Vatsalya Charitable Trust (VCT) through IPA Italy, an agency facilitating adoption of children a long time ago.
The Italian couple have also appealed to the court through their Power of Attorney holder in the VCT, Sherlie Thomas and executive director, Mary Paul to appoint them as the legal adoptive parents of eight year old Ullas and seven year old Anand.
A decree for adoption obtained from the juvenile court, Barae in Italy, saying the couple, who have been childless throughout their 14 year marriage, own a house, has also been submitted.
Aghast that the adoption process has progressed so far without their knowledge, the couple decided to battle it out. “All the procedures are complete and the case is awaiting its final hearing. We have been kept in the dark although the CWC and the Bapuji Children’s home have our contact details,” said a shocked Neelamma, refuting the claim that the children had no visitors for a long time at the Bapuji home which took them in after their parents died.
“We visited them a number of times except for a short period when I was sick ,” she said, adding that they plan to stage a protest on Monday, urging the CM and the Governor to retain the children in the custody of the government.
“We are worried for their safety, as it seems the children have been threatened. They were injured when we met them on Tuesday,” said Nataraj, adding yet another dimension to the case.