DME Kerala appoints three-member committee to probe alleged forgery of birth certificate

The DME has appointed a three-member inquiry committee to probe the alleged forgery of the birth certificate of a six-month-old baby in Kerala and directed it to submit a report in the fortnight. The committee includes Vice Principal Unnikrishnan V.V., additional professor Raveendran C., and Thrissur Government Medical College accounts officer Benny T.T.

In Government Medical College Hospital (MCH), Kalamassery, allegedly a six-month-old baby's birth certificate has been forged. Now, the Directorate of Medical Education has appointed a three-member inquiry committee to investigate the matter and submit a report within a fortnight.

The committee comprises Vice Principal Unnikrishnan V.V, additional professor Raveendran C., and Thrissur Government Medical College accounts officer Benny T.T, as reported by The Hindu.

In this case, the police have registered two cases against A. Anilkumar, an administrative staff of the MCH. The Principal of the college has placed A. Anilkumar under suspension in connection with the issue since February 3, 2023.

On Monday, the baby was taken into the State’s care by the Child Welfare Committee (CWC) after the family, which allegedly illegally adopted the child, produced her before the CWC as directed. The parents remained untraceable and did not turn but the siblings produced the baby.

“We had alerted the family that they would be in deeper trouble the more they hung on to the baby. It has emerged that the adoption was illegal as the biological parents had given her away without complying with the provisions of the Juvenile Justice Act and adoption regulations,” said CWC Chairperson Shaju K.K.

CWC waits for the biological parents

The committee will wait for the biological parents for another couple of days and if they will not turn up in the next 30 days, the baby girl will be declared abandoned. 

In the next 60 days, she will be declared free for adoption, and her name will be enlisted on the portal of the Central Adoption Resource Authority. Once that process is completed, the biological parents will have no recourse to reclaim her custody.

“The biological parents could have legally surrendered the baby to the CWC if they were in no position to take care of her in which case they would have had a window of 60 days during which they could have reclaimed her in the event of a change of heart. Since they remain untraceable, we have no clue whether they gave her away illegally out of ignorance or took the easy route out,” said Mr. Shaju.

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