E-Paper
9 months on, Karnal woman yet to get her child back
Nine months on, Karnal woman Jyoti, 28, is running pillar to post to get her son back from a Meerut-based couple, who claimed to have adopted the child on September 14 last year
Nine months on, Karnal woman Jyoti, 28, is running pillar to post to get her son back from a Meerut-based couple, who claimed to have adopted the child on September 14 last year.
Her husband had left her a few months before their third child was born and Jyoti lives in Kunjpura village of Karnal. Four-and-a-half-month after she filed a complaint, the Kunjpura police have registered an FIR (on June 15) under Sections 363, 368, 420, 467, 468, 471 and 34 of the IPC and Sections 80 and 80 of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015.
Jyoti has alleged that before birth of her child, she had come in contact with Dr DP Shrivastav and his gynaecologist wife Dr Sashibala through a friend for consultation.
Four days after his birth at Karnal’s KCGMCH, Dr Shrivastav told her that the baby has respiratory problems and will get better treatment at their hospital in Meerut free of cost. They took her signatures on a blank stamp paper and took the baby.
A month later, she reached the couple who refused to return the child and threatened her of dire consequences, she alleged.
In February this year, she approached the Karnal police and her complaint was forwarded to protection-cum-prohibition officer Rajni Gupta.
Rajni said the doctor couple had taken the child and handed him over to a Meerut-based couple - Vishal and Neha Shrivastav.
“Vishal said he adopted the boy with consent of Jyoti and had agreed to return the boy on June 1. But did not turn up, following which an FIR was registered,” she said.
In the birth certificate of the child from Meerut MC, Vishal had claimed that Neha gave birth to the child at home.
Rajni said as per the Hindu Adoptions and Maintenance Act, the child cannot be adopted just by inking an agreement.
She said Dr Srivastva did not join the probe and his advocate sent a legal notice claiming that the woman had taken the boy to Meerut and given him to the couple with consent.
On delay in registration of FIR, Karnal SP Ganga Ram Punia said the FIR was registered after investigation by the protection officer as the accused doctor did not record his statement.
The SP said the Karnal police will soon reach Meerut and the child will be handed over to the woman.
When HT contacted Dr Shrivastava on registration of FIR against him and his wife, their daughter responded and said, “We don’t know why the FIR is registered against them. They were only witness to the adoption. The FIR should be registered against people who adopted the baby.”
