Couple allowed to adopt after biological child consents

Mumbai: The Bombay high court has allowed an adoption petition filed by a Dubai-based Indian couple after they submitted a letter of consent from their nine-year-old daughter. The couple had applied for adoption of a male child who had been abandoned in Kalyan in 2015. After verifying the financial and health condition of the adoptive parents, the court asked for consent from their biological child before confirming adoption.

Justice K.R. Shriram was hearing the foreign adoption petition filed by Janani Ashish Charitable Trust at Thane where they proposed to give up the minor male child named Shiva who has been in their care for adoption to an Indian couple based in Bur Dubai, UAE. According to the petition, the male child, born on April 1, 2013, was found abandoned at Kalyan on September 25, 2010, by Bazarpeth police station. The petition said after police failed to trace Shiva’s biological parents, he was handed over to the institution for three months as per the Juvenile Justice Act 2000. In 2016, the Child Welfare Committee declared Shiva a destitute and free for adoption, and also received a no objection certificate  from the Central Adoption Recourse Authority, New Delhi.

The petition stated that the proposed adopters submitted their financial and health reports and had a biological female child and wanted to adopt a child of their choice. The couple furnished all relevant certificates, reports and documents as per guidelines stipulated under the Adoption Regulations of 2017 where the consent of the older child/children in the biological family (more than five years) is required. After the couple submitted the consent letter, the court allowed the petition.