In a case involving a Pune-based adoption house allegedly selling children to foreigners, the Bombay High Court has asked the Central Adoption Resource Agency (CARA) if the children in question could be transferred to an alternative agency.

CARA has also been asked to inform the court within a week it has already revoked the licence of Preet Mandir, the Pune-based adoption house, or if it proposes to revoke the licence in light of the allegations.

A division bench of Justice BH Marlapalle and Justice AV Mohta gave the direction after going through a CBI report, submitted by Solicitor General Darius Khambatta, on the allegations against Preet Mandir.

The court directed Khambatta to seek instructions from CARA regarding the fate of children housed at Preet Mandir.
The court also called for full co-operation from CARA, an autonomous body responsible for keeping a check on international adoptions, under the Union Ministry of Women and Child Development, and the Department of Woman and Child Welfare with the CBI.

In 2006, two NGOs, Advait Foundation and Sakhee, had filed a PIL after a news channel carried out a sting that showed Preet Mandir allegedly indulging in selling babies to foreigners for $12,000 each. Hearing the PIL, the court had asked the CBI to investigate the allegations.

The CBI gave a clean chit to Preet Mandir in October 2007, but later reopened the probe after admitting lapses in the investigation.