Baby swapping: mother's comfort for Atmaja still a far cry

Central Forensic Science Laboratory at Hyderabad unable to give a conclusive DNA report ascertaining her mother

PTI | July 17, 2012



The four-month-old baby girl Atmaja, a victim of an alleged baby swapping incident at SCB Medical College and Hospital here, is going to be deprived of care of her mother for some more days as genetic scientists at Central Forensic Science Laboratory at Hyderabad are unable to give a conclusive DNA report ascertaining her mother.

Instead, the laboratory director has informed the Orissa High Court that blood samples of both the contesting fathers are required for further examinations to determine the parents of Atmaja, who is lying unclaimed in the hospital ever since she was born on March 30 this year.

Following a controversy over the identification of the mother of the newborn and a petition filed in Orissa High Court to this effect, the court had directed a DNA test of the baby and the two woman who had delivered a boy and a girl almost at the same time in the labour room of the gynaecology department of the hospital.

Accordingly the blood sample of the baby and the two women were drawn on May 2 and sent to the Hyderabad-based laboratory under the supervision of a court official. However, after more than two months, the laboratory yesterday informed the HC that the blood samples are inadequate to conclusively ascertain the mother of the baby and for that they need to examine the blood samples of the husbands of the women.

Now the High Court is likely to take a decision on the matter soon while sources said the petitioner Susanta Mallick, who had contested the case claiming that his wife had delivered a boy child in the hospital, is now in Dubai.

Susanta's mother and wife have been asked to file affidavits about it in the court.

Comments

 

Other News

Who checks the books?

I read about the news about the Coimbatore library over coffee this morning. On the face of it, the headline was about a political ‘war’ between the DMK and TVK. But what stayed with me was something much more important than the blame game behind what had transpired. A writer walking through

Development paradox: Falling poverty miracle and an inequality problem

India’s reduction in poverty over the past decade is a development achievement of considerable significance. The World Bank’s April 2026 ‘India Development Update’ estimates that the share of Indians living below the international extreme-poverty line of $3.00 per person per day i

In Arunachal, a river we call mother

In Arunachal Pradesh, the Siang is not just a river. For many of us, especially the Adi people, it is part of our family. Our grandparents fished in it. Children learned to swim in it. Our farms drink from it. When someone says a huge dam will be built on it, we do not hear the word "project".

A new retelling of the Mahabharata delves into key moments

In a time when every decision carries consequences and questions of ambition, power, loyalty, identity and moral choice continue to shape our lives, Dr. Arun Krishnan’s new book, ‘Mahakshana’ (Penguin India) offers a strikingly relevant retelling of the Mahabharata.  

Cabinet approves viability gap funding to develop grid-scale energy storage systems

The Union Cabinet, chaired by PM Narendra Modi, has approved the Viability Gap Funding (VGF) Scheme for Development of Grid-Scale Energy Storage Systems, with a total financial support of Rs.14,500 crore for the period FY 2026-27 to FY 2030-31. The scheme aims to support the development o

Cabinet creates a pathway to absorb Agniveers in Defence Forces

An objective assessment in terms of organisational requirements and operational efficiency has brought out the outstanding performance of Agniveers in terms of skills, motivation levels, physical fitness and technological prowess. As envisaged earlier, based on merit, 25% of Agniveers will be offered reg

Upcoming Conferences



-->

Archives

Current Issue

Opinion

Facebook Twitter Google Plus Linkedin Subscribe Newsletter

Twitter