Assam child rights panel seeks CID probe into 'trafficking' case

Guwahati: The Assam State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (ASCPCR) on Monday asked the CID to initiate an inquiry and take necessary action in a suspected human trafficking case involving the newborn baby of a rape victim.
The body, in its letter to the ADGP (CID), mentioned that it has received a letter from Child Welfare Committee (CWC), Nagaon, saying that the rape victim, who was also a minor, had given birth to the boy child in 2013 as per her statement.However, the birth certificate that was issued said it was a girl child.
The letter said, "At the time of her delivery, she was under the care of an NGO called 7 Sisters. The mother was shifted to the psychiatry department after the delivery and the child was left in the care of Child Welfare Committee (CWC), Kamrup (Metro), which sent the child to the Missionaries of Charity (MOC). As per the statement of the MOC, they were handed over a girl child by the NGO."
The child rights commission's letter mentioned a response from the registrar of births and deaths, asking for a clarification about the birth certificate. The 'shocking' reply from the registrar's office said, "On scrutiny, it has been found that as per records, the sex of the child is 'male'. It was erroneously said in the birth certificate that the child was 'female' due to oversight of the concerned official."
The letter added, "It's a suspected case of trafficking, where the boy child was replaced by a girl child and those involved in it are still moving scot-free. Therefore, you (ADGP, CID) are requested to initiate an inquiry into the episode and send the action taken report to the commission at the earliest."
Sources said the investigation is likely to look into the role of authorities of the hospital where the baby was given birth, the NGO which handed over the baby to the MOC, and the state health department.