Breaking Free: 15 Children Declared Legally Free for Adoption in Telangana

The Child Welfare Committee of Medchal-Malkajgiri district in Telangana has declared 15 rescued children legally free for adoption. The decision, based on the Juvenile Justice Act, 2015, follows the busting of a major child-selling racket. The High Court directed the CWC to make the ruling, paving the way for adoption.

The Child Welfare Committee (CWC) in Medchal-Malkajgiri district of Telangana has declared 15 children, rescued from a child-selling racket, legally free for adoption. Official sources confirmed the decision was made under Section 38 of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015, as the children's biological parents remain untraceable.

Following a High Court directive on November 28, the CWC was instructed to declare the children's status under Section 37 of the Act. The decision allows for the children, deemed orphans or abandoned after thorough investigation, to be legally adopted. Central Adoption Resource Authority (CARA) has been tasked with handling adoption applications from prospective parents.

The racket, uncovered by the Rachakonda Police, involved the sale of infants from Delhi and Pune to childless couples in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. While the children now reside in state-run homes, the case underscores the ongoing legal struggles of couples who illegally purchased them, having formed emotional bonds with the children.

(With inputs from agencies.)