BENGALURU: The Karnataka High Court on Wednesday ordered that the custody of a baby boy, who was stolen by a woman psychiatrist from a maternity home here last year and handed over to a childless couple in Koppal, be given to the genetic mother.
The court said that breastfeeding needs to be recognised as an inalienable right of a lactating mother, and handed over the child to Husna Banu, who is the genetic mother. The foster mother, Anupama Desai, argued that she should retain the child as the genetic mother already has two children, while she has none.
Terming the argument ludicrous, the court said that children are not chattel to be apportioned between their genetic mother and a stranger. Justice Krishna S Dixit said that a genetic mother treats all her children as being an integral part of her body and soul, regardless of what the children do to her.
Therefore the contention of the foster mother is abhorrent to the very notion of motherhood, the court added. Husna Banu’s counsel said that the foster mother’s case may be true, but the court should consider the agony the genetic parents have gone through for a year.
The baby boy had been stolen by Dr Rashmi Shashikumar, who is from Chikkodi in Belagavi district, soon after he was born at a private hospital on Bannerghatta Road in May last year. Rashmi had taken Rs 14.5 lakh from the childless couple and handed over the child to them, saying it was born through surrogacy. The police arrested Rasmi in June this year and traced the baby.