Case registered against seven persons including Government doctor couple

Madikeri:  Madikeri City Police have registered a case against seven persons including a lady doctor of Madikeri District Hospital on charges of selling an infant born to a minor at a private hospital for Rs.1.5 lakh.

Based on the complaint lodged by Kodagu District Woman and Child Development Department Deputy Director T.S. Arundathi, the Police have registered a case against Madikeri District Hospital Gynaecologist Dr. Rajeshwari, her husband Dr. Naveen, a Surgeon at Madikeri District Hospital, Group D employee of a private nursing home Selena, nurses Ramya and Kavitha and the couple who had bought the infant P.M. Robin and Sarala Mary. Cases have been registered under IPC Section 370 (4)(6), 465, 468. 471 r/w 34 and 80, 81 of the JJ Act-2015 and 21(1) of the POCSO Act- 2012.

Four prime accused in the case have gone absconding and the Police have launched a hunt to nab them.

Details: On Dec. 22, 2019, the minor girl along with her mother had been to a private hospital in Madikeri where they met Dr. Rajeshwari there and with the help of her (Dr. Rajeshwari) husband Dr. Naveen, nurses Ramya and Kavitha and Group ‘D’ employee Selina got the baby boy delivered illegally at the private hospital. After delivering the baby, the minor girl is said to have told that she did not want the baby.

As the girl did not want the baby, Dr. Rajeshwari and Dr. Naveen allegedly sold the baby to Group ‘D’ employee Selena’s son P.M. Robin and his wife Sarala Mary for Rs. 1.5 lakh and also got the birth certificate mentioning Robin and Sarala Mary as the baby’s parents besides changing the name of the minor girl in the private hospital’s record book.

But the illegal sale of the baby came to the notice of Prashanth, employee of the private hospital and Vishwa Hindu Parishat District Convenor Kushalappa, who lodged a complaint with Woman and Child Development Department Deputy Director Arundathi, who on Dec. 27 directed the District Children Protection Officer and staff to investigate.

The District Children Protection Officer and staff, who conducted an investigation, went to the house of Selena, where they found the baby boy. When the Officer grilled Selina, the illegal delivery of the baby boy came to light. 

During further questioning, the Officer came to know about the illegal sale of the baby and also about the change of names in the record book at the private nursing home.

Following the investigation, the District Children Protection Officer submitted a report to the Woman and Child Development Department Deputy Director, who on Jan. 3, 2020 lodged a complaint with Madikeri City Police.

Based on the complaint, the Police have registered a case against seven persons under various sections of the IPC and are investigating.