‘Reports suggest widespread illegal adoption, trafficking of babies in Telangana’: HC, takes up suo motu PIL plea

The Telangana High Court has taken up a suo motu Public Interest Litigation (PIL) over allegations of widespread illegal adoption and human trafficking of infants and children in the state, according to reports. The Bench, consisting of Chief Justice Aparesh Kumar Singh and Justice Vakiti Ramakrishna Reddy, observed that the reports from Shishu Kendra in Nalgonda district indicated a "widespread nature of activities" involving such practices.

They noted that many of the affected children are infants, with their biological parents untraceable and middlemen evading capture.

The PIL was filed by M. Venkanna, a 35-year-old farmer, who challenged a single judge's order denying relief to him in his writ petition seeking custody of his two-year-old adopted daughter, Sharanya. Venkanna had adopted the child, Nakka Yadagiri's 30-day-old daughter, in May 2023 but was later ordered to return her to the Shishu Kendra custody due to the police claiming the infant was part of a trafficking case.

Venkanna contested this order, arguing that he had adopted the child according to Central Adoption Resource Authority (CARA) guidelines.

The High Court appointed senior counsel B. Mayur Reddy as amicus curiae and requested a report on the issue. The court emphasized that the biological parents of the child, who were "adopted" by Venkanna, had not been traced, and the alleged trafficker was still at large. The bench ordered the Principal Secretary for Home, Women Development and Child Welfare Director, TSLSA secretary, and DGP, Safety Wing to be made respondents in the PIL plea. The matter will be heard again on October 5.