Adoption agency serves notice to TV channel

Pune, June 26 (UNI) Preet Mandir, an adoption agency has served a notice to a TV Channel for its series 'Baby snatchers' exposing an alleged ongoing racket in the sale of abandoned and destitute babies here.

At a media briefing here, Preet Mandir Managing Trustee, J S Bhasin today said, ''We have always followed government laws, pocedures and guidelines. The rehabilitation is done in accordance with all government rules and regulations, judicial procedures as well as CARA guidelines. We totally deny all charges of the TV channel, these are false allegations with the intent of setting aside all the good work done by the agency in the past 27 years.

We are under legal advise, sending a legal notice to CNN-IBN u/s 500 of the CrPC to withdraw the false allegations or be responsible for further legal action and consequent damages,'' he added.

''Unfortunately some evil elements in society are active in maligning the fair name of Preet Mandir making false and defamatory allegations that Preet Mandir is engaged in malpractices in the field of adoption,'' Mr Bhasin said ''Following the news reports, several State and Central government agencies have been making inquiries and investigations are on. Public-minded citizens and, civic organisations have also turned up to see the working of the agency,'' he added.

''We will issue an explanation at an appropriate time,'' he said.

When asked about the number of children sold in the agency in the recent past, Mr Bhasin replied that 160 children were sold in the past year belonging to different categories like special needs children, sibling children etc. Around 66 per cent of the children have an in country adoption and 34 per cent inter country, he said.

The agency has three units in Maharashtra and has rehabilitated over 1,200 children so far including 200 last year. An undercover investigation by the 'CNN-IBN channel' revealed that the children were being sold to couples as well as agents from countries like the US, UK, Australia and Spain.

They were found not only to be bypassing all laws, but also had ''baby factories'' to ensure a constant supply of infants.

The reporters, posing as an NRI couple, approached an agency in Pune and discovered it charged 12,000 US dollars per child.

The 'buyers' were given a choice of colour of skin, eye colour and so on and there were different rates for the babies on the basis of colour, gender and health. Babies with ailments were sold at ''discounted'' rates.

UNI DWN KU MA RS2300