Baby kidnap case: Mother Anupama says she has no faith in police probe

Thiruvananthapuram: Anupama S Chandran, daughter of a CPI (M) local committee member, whose baby had been put up for adoption by her parents last year without her knowledge, on Sunday said she has no faith in the police probe into the matter, a view which was also echoed by Leader of Opposition in the Kerala Assembly V D Satheesan.

Speaking to reporters, she said the police told her that it has initiated investigation based on her complaint made in September but has not taken into consideration her complaints in April to the police as well as the Chief Minister.

“In such a situation, I do not have faith in the police investigation,” she said.

Meanwhile, Satheesan, at a press conference, said neither the police nor the State government has been able to ensure that the woman gets her baby back.

“Where has the baby gone? She went to the Chief Minister, various ministers, the police, and also the child welfare committee in April. What did they all do for the last six months? It is only now a police probe has been ordered,” he said.

The Left government has not been able to ensure that a mother gets her child back, he further said.

Satheesan claimed that this incident and others, where women have been assaulted in the State, indicates that the government has not been able to ensure safety or justice to women.

On Saturday, State Health Minister Veena George said the government’s stand was that the child should be with the mother itself and the government has decided to intervene before the final adoption order.

“The child is currently in foster care. The adopting parents register with the national-level central adoption and resources agency for adopting the child. All these matters are monitored by the court. The final order is yet to come. It’s a complex process. But our policy is that the child should be with the mother,” she told the media.

Anupama on Saturday staged a hunger strike before the State Secretariat demanding that her child be returned to her. She has accused her parents of having taken away her newborn child forcibly from her soon after its birth a year ago and alleged that though she had complained about it to the police several times since April, they were reluctant to register a case against the family members.

However, Peroorkkada police here has said a case was registered earlier this week against six people, including her parents, sister and husband, and father’s two friends, and said the delay happened as they were awaiting legal opinion.