KOCHI: After several months of uncertainty, the couple who were illegally raising an eight-month-old girl got temporary custody of the child for three months. This decision came following a direction from the High Court to the Child Welfare Committee(CWC) and District Child Protection Officer (DCPO) to determine the child’s custodial rights within a month and to allow the couple to visit her once a month.
The event involving forged birth certificates and the illegal upbringing of the child came to light after a complaint was filed by Rahana, a kiosk executive in charge of registering death and birth certificates at the Kalamasserry municipality.
KK Shaju, the chairman of CWC Ernakulam, said the child is given to the couple for three months as they qualify for foster care. “After reviewing their renewal application, the period will be prolonged if the child is comfortable. We promote foster care to create a homely environment for the children. So if not this couple, somebody else can take care of the child if they are eligible,” Shaju said.
However, the legal adoption process is on hold as the biological parents have not yet surrendered their rights. “They have informed us that they cannot take care of the child for now. Thus the adoption process is on hold,” said Shaju. A complaint was lodged by Rahana against A Anilkumar, an administrative assistant at the Kalamassery Medical College superintendent’s office, for forging a birth certificate. Following the complaint, the police arrested Anilkumar.
Furthermore, during the investigation, officers discovered a middleman between the biological parents and the couple based in Tripunithura. It was also revealed that the couple had paid Anilkumar a certain amount for his involvement in the illegal act.
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