Appeal of accused in child swapping case dismissed

Amritsar, Dec 23 (UNI) A local court today dismissed the petition of the accused challenging the decision of a lower court in the infamous child swapping case.

Additional district and sessions Judge A K Rai dismissed the petition of the accused who had challenged their conviction by a lower court in the case involing swapping of a new born child on June 30, 2000.

The lower court in July had sentenced Sukhwinder Singh his wife Ranjit Kaur and midwife Ramesh Rani, who had swapped the male child for a female, to seven years imprisonment.

All the three are currently lodged at the Central Jail here.

The male child now named Amanpreet, was handed over to Ranjit Kaur by the midwife, shortly after birth at her house in the city.

The midwife was reportedly paid Rs four lakh for the male child by Sukhwinder Singh.

The male child's mother Manju and her husband Harish Kumar were handed over a newly born female child by the midwife at her house.

The couple had reported the matter to the police and after a detailed investigation a case was registered against Sukhwinder, his wife Ranjit Kaur and the midwife.

DNA tests carried out on Amanpreet on the lower court order had confirmed that he was the child of Manju and Harish Kumar.

However, the court has allowed Sukhwinder and Ranjit to have custody of the child.

Harish and Manju had filed a caveat in the Punjab and Haryana High Court for the custody of Amanpreet. It is schedule to come up for hearing early next month.

UNI XC-HS VN SI VV1925