Complaint against doctor couple for selling newborn

A complaint has been registered against a doctor couple from the district hospital in Madikeri. They are accused of having been involved in the sale of a newborn.

In an incident which has come to light lately, it has been alleged that Dr N S Navin and Dr Rajeshwari have sold the baby born to a minor, to Robin, the son of Saleena, working as a group D staff in a private hospital in Madikeri. Complaints have also been registered against Robin’s wife Sarala Mary and nurses Ramya and Kavita, who are also accused of being involved in the crime.

District Women and Child Welfare Department Deputy Director T S Arundhati has submitted a complaint to Madikeri Town Police Station in this regard.

The accused doctor couple have gone missing after the complaint was registered on January 3. They were the residents of New Extension in Madikeri.

Background

Dr Navin and Dr Rajeshwari have been working as a surgeon and gynaecologist respectively in the Government District Hospital in Madikeri.

On August 22, a minor, accompanied by her mother, came for delivery. The minor was allegedly taken to Ashwini Hospital in Madikeri by the accused doctor couple for delivery. Later, the newborn child was allegedly sold to group D staff Saleena’s son Robin for Rs 1.50 lakh.

Also, a certificate was created by the accused to make it appear that the child was born to Robin’s wife Sarala Mary. In the hospital, the name of the parents of the child has been registered as Robin and Sarala, it is said.

The incident came to the notice of the district Women and Child Welfare Department Deputy Director Arundhati on December 27. The officer had directed the Child Protection Officer to inspect the case.

Based on the report submitted by the Child Protection Officer, the Deputy Director of Women and Child Welfare Department submitted a complaint to the police.

“The officer has mentioned in the report that the biological parents of the child are yet to be detected. The doctors who have helped in the childbirth have concealed the names (of real parents). There are speculations over the mention of different people in the registration of parents of the child. It is suspected that the child has been sold. The case may please be investigated,” the complaint stated.

Private hospital clarifies

There is no connection between Dr B C Navin Kumar, the paediatrician and Dr Rajeshwari, the gynaecologist, working at another Rajarajeshwari Private Hospital in the industrial estate in Madikeri. The names of the accused doctor couple from the district hospital resemble the names of the doctors at Rajarajeshwari Hospital. But, the people are totally different, a press release stated.