Authorities track families who bought kids from doctor in Kolhapur

Dr Arun Patil

Three days after Arun Bhupal Patil, a homeopathy doctor and his wife Ujjwala were arrested by the Kolhapur police for allegedly selling newborns born at the hospital Patil worked at, authorities have zeroed down on two families to that illegally adopted the children. They are from Mumbai and Nagpur.

The children, who were bought from their mothers for Rs 2 lakh, were sold for anywhere between Rs 8 lakh to Rs 10 lakh, depending on their gender, probe has revealed. One of the children, born to a widow, was given to a Mumbai-based doctor, while the other child, sent to Nagpur, was delivered by a 16-year-old girl.

Dr Arun Patil and his hospital in Kolhapur where the babies were delivered

"One of the families is that of Amol Sawai, 39 and his wife Aarti, 36, residents of Nerul, while the other is that of Anil Chahande, 42, and his wife Prerna, residents of Chandrapur, Nagpur. The children have been kept in a Kolhapur-based shelter," said a police officer part of the investigation.

Appeared before CARA
On Friday evening, both the families appeared before the members the Central Adoption Resources Authority (CARA) along with a committee from the ministry of women and child development.

The identification process
Speaking about how the families were identified, the officer said, "Based on Patil's call records, we gathered details and identified the two families to whom the children were given. Both families have confessed to the illegal adoption." "Now, the committee is verifying their documents. The custody of the children is currently on hold. There are chances of the children being sent to a shelter home until the final decision is made."

About the biological moms
A press release issued by the Kolhapur police gave details about the biological mothers of the children, "On May 12, 2017, Patil had received the case of a 16-year-old who was sexually abused by her relative under the false pretext of marriage. She was five months pregnant when a relative of hers brought her to Patil's hospital. Fearing the legal formalities of abortion, he preferred delivering the child instead. Post delivery, she stayed at his house and got Rs 2 lakh [for parting with her child]. She now works in the same hospital as a caretaker. Another child was birthed by a widow, who had a 13-year-old son and was living with her partner, who died when she was seven months pregnant." The officer added, "The woman on December 3, 2017 gave birth at the hospital and later handed over her child to Patil and she too got Rs 2 lakh."

Rs 8 lakh
Price a girl child was sold for

Rs 10 lakh
Price a boy child was sold for

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