A private hospital in Uttar Pradesh’s Shahjahanpur has been sealed and an First Information Report (FIR) has been lodged against its owner and staff for allegedly handing over the child born to a Hindu woman to a Muslim couple, The Indian Express reported.
Police said that the husband in his complaint said that the after the mother delivered the girl child, the hospital owner Dr Ashok Rathore and staff told him that he would not be able to take care of his six daughters, and had asked him to give away the newborn to a childless Muslim couple.
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The husband, a farmer by profession, also said that the childless couple would have paid the hospital bills.
Police said that the couple had agreed to give away the child, however, on their return, the husband “realised” his mistake and went back to the hospital, and asked Dr Rathore to return their child. However, the doctor said that he had sold his baby to the Muslim couple and can’t return the child to him.
Meanwhile, Hindutva group Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) came to know about the incident and held a protest outside the hospital. Later, the hospital staff had returned the baby to the Hindu couple.
Superintendent of Police (Shahjahanpur) S Anand said a case has been filed and the hospital owner has been booked under Indian Penal Code (IPC) Section 342 and Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection ) Act.
Chief Medical Officer (Shahjahanpur) RK Gautam said that a detailed inquiry has begun in the case and the hospital.
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Meanwhile, VHP’s Shahjahanpur district secretary Rajesh Awasthi claimed that after they came to know about the incident, they had called up the hospital who had admitted to handing over the baby to the couple. However, when the hospital owner was asked whether due procedures were followed, he didn’t have answers.
“After my call, the hospital owner immediately returned the baby girl to her parents… I have requested the district administration and police to arrest the owner of the hospital,” Awasthi was quoted saying by IE.
