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Mumbai Police have registered a case against two women involved in an illegal adoption scam, where they fraudulently registered the adoptive mother’s name at a hospital to complete the process unlawfully. The duo deceived the administration of KEM Hospital in Parel to facilitate the adoption of a newborn.The fraud was orchestrated by admitting the pregnant woman under the name of the adoptive mother. As a result, the child's birth certificate was issued in the adoptive mother's name, making the adoption appear legitimate. However, the scam came to light when the baby's health deteriorated, leading to an appendix surgery at Wadia Hospital, where the truth surfaced.The case was initially registered at Manpada Police Station in Thane on Saturday and later transferred to Bhoiwada Police Station in Mumbai on Sunday. The police are currently searching for the prime accused, Priya Bhatt (38, name changed), who is absconding. Meanwhile, the adoptive mother, Shilpa Joshi (37, name changed), has been served a police notice. Both women are residents of Kalyan (East), Thane.According to police sources, Priya Bhatt and her husband were struggling financially. Last year, Bhatt became pregnant but did not want to keep the baby due to her husband's alcoholism and their financial instability. She approached doctors for an abortion but later came in contact with Shilpa Joshi, who was unable to conceive due to health issues and was seeking to adopt a child.The two women agreed that Bhatt would give birth and Joshi would adopt the baby. However, as per legal procedures, any child given for adoption must first be handed over to the Central Adoption Resource Authority (CARA), which then selects adoptive parents based on strict guidelines. Since this process was time-consuming and complex, the duo decided to bypass the law.Bhatt got herself admitted to KEM Hospital under Joshi’s name using Joshi’s Aadhaar card. She pretended to be the expectant mother and successfully deceived the hospital staff. On October 11, 2024, Bhatt gave birth to a baby girl, whom they named ‘Riya’ (name changed). She obtained a birth certificate in Joshi’s name and, on October 15, 2024, was discharged from the hospital. Bhatt then handed over the baby to Joshi.A few months later, the child’s health deteriorated. On January 15, 2025, Joshi took her to Wadia Hospital for treatment. Since the birth certificate was in her name, she faced no difficulties in the admission process. However, after the appendix surgery, doctors informed Joshi that the baby was HIV-positive and advised her to undergo testing as well.Shocked and scared, Joshi broke down and confessed that the baby was not biologically hers and had been adopted illegally. Wadia Hospital immediately alerted Sakhi Centre, Mumbai, which then contacted the Thane District Women and Child Development Department. Following an investigation by Child Protection Officer Ramakrishna Reddy and Institutional Care Officer Pallavi Jadhav, the illegal adoption was confirmed.Based on their findings, the Thane Women and Child Development Department filed a Zero FIR at Manpada Police Station against Bhatt and Joshi under Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015, Sections 80 & 81 and Bhartiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS) Sections 318(1), 318(4), and 3(5)Currently, Bhoiwada Police are investigating the case, while efforts are underway to trace the absconding accused, Priya Bhatt.

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