SUDHA BHATT Vs. SECRETARY SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTEMENT

JUDGEMENT

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

(2.) A girl child (later of named 'Noopur' and now 'Ayushi') was found abandoned within a few hours of the birth on 2nd September, 1995 in the Campus of SSG General Hospital, Baroda. It was week, 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 Section 16 of the Juvenile Justice 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. application shall deposit a sum of Rs. 50,000 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.