SUDHA BHATT Vs. SECRETARY SOCIAL WELFARE DEPTT

JUDGEMENT

(1.) On the letter of Ms. Sudha Bhatt, suo-motu cognizance was taken.

(2.) A girl child (later on named 'Noopur' and now 'Aayushi') was found abandoned within a few hours of the birth on 2nd September 1995 in the campus of S.S.G. General Hospital, Baroda. It was weak, ill-nourished and in precarious condition. The Hospital staff and the nurses took care of the child.

(3.) On 18th September 1995, an application was moved by a couple Mr. and Mrs. Murthy, under Sec. 16 of the Juvenile Act, in the Court of Chief Judicial Magistrate, Baroda. It was registered as Misc. (Kirkol) Application No. 2 of 1995. On 18th October 1995, the application was granted to give custody of the child to the couple for a period of one year. One of the conditions was that the applicants shall deposit a sum of Rs. 50,000.00 in the name of the child. Mr. Murthy was an Accounts Officer in Essar Co. at Surat. There was satisfactory home study report, other certificates, recommendations and report of the Probation Officer.