New Delhi, Sept 3 (UNI) The Supreme Court today issued notice in a Special Leave Petition (SLP) seeking an inquiry into allegations of child swapping at a private hospital in Chhattisgarh after a DNA test revealed that out of two children given to the petitioners, only one girl matched their parentage while the other did not.
The petitioners contend that the mother had delivered a boy and a girl but was informed by the hospital that she had given birth to two girls. The SLP was filed through AoR Chand Quereshi, with advocate Ashok Kumar Panigrahi appearing for the petitioners.
A bench of Justice Manoj Misra and Justice Ujjal Bhuyan observed, “Therefore, it was a clear case of child swapping. In such circumstances, according to the petitioners, investigation ought to have been directed after a thorough inquiry, whereas the High Court summarily dismissed the petition without examining the aspects.”
The petitioners had earlier moved the Chhattisgarh High Court, seeking a preliminary inquiry into their complaint and registration of an FIR against the concerned doctor and hospital. They also sought recovery and custody of their allegedly kidnapped child.
While the DNA test confirmed that one girl was biologically theirs, the other girl’s DNA did not match. However, an enquiry committee of six doctors reported that all hospital records were in order and found no proof of child theft.
Relying on this, the High Court dismissed the writ petition, holding there was no ground for interference.
The apex court noted that the High Court had failed to consider whether the petitioners’ complaint was adequately investigated, particularly on two aspects: whether the mother had in fact delivered a boy and a girl; whether the DNA report established that both children handed over by the hospital were biologically related to the petitioners.
Taking note of the DNA evidence and the petitioners’ submissions, the Supreme Court issued notice on the SLP.
