Mumbai Police Uncovers Illegal Adoption of HIV-Positive Baby, Two Women Booked

Mumbai, India: In a shocking case of illegal adoption, Mumbai Police has booked two women for unlawfully adopting an HIV-positive newborn by misleading the administration of KEM Hospital, Parel. The case surfaced when the baby’s health deteriorated, leading to an appendix surgery at Wadia Hospital, where the truth was exposed.

The illegal adoption was orchestrated by the main accused and her husband, who were struggling financially. The woman, unwilling to keep the baby, used another woman’s Aadhaar card to get admitted to KEM Hospital, where she gave birth on October 11, 2024. After discharge, she handed over the baby girl to the second woman.

On January 15, 2025, when the child’s health worsened, she was admitted to Wadia Hospital, where doctors discovered her HIV-positive status. Under pressure, the adoptive mother confessed to the illegal adoption.

Following this, the Thane Women and Child Development Department registered a case under the Juvenile Justice Act, 2015 and relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). While the main accused is being traced, the second woman has been issued a notice. The case is now under investigation by Bhoiwada Police Station.