The court said were the evidence not to be challenged, it would be sufficient to secure the woman’s conviction
Mumbai: A sessions court has refused to discharge a woman who runs an NGO from a child trafficking and illegal adoption prosecution, holding that the material in the chargesheet prima facie shows her direct role in taking a newborn from the biological mother, handing the child over for adoption, and receiving Rs 3.5 lakh through alleged trafficking.
The information indicated that the woman had been involved in the sale of another baby earlier, according to the prosecution. Additional sessions judge Ajit A Yadav observed that the court can’t go into minute details of the evidence at this stage but were the proof not to be challenged, it would be sufficient to secure the conviction of the woman, Julia Fernandes, who runs Aahan Foundation. The prosecution case began with a police complaint based on a tipoff that a woman had sold a newborn. The case was initially registered against unknown persons.
Court Examines Child Trafficking Allegations Against Fernandes
In a recent court session, the prosecution presented evidence against Fernandes, who is accused of participating in a child trafficking scheme alongside other individuals. The allegations detail that a newborn was sold to a witness for Rs 3.5 lakh.
To facilitate this illegal operation, the accused allegedly created forged official documents, including court records and public registers, to mislead authorities. These counterfeit documents were presented as authentic, furthering their criminal agenda.
The court referenced earlier testimonies where witnesses identified Fernandes by her first name and articulated her involvement in the trafficking. One witness, who received the child, accused Fernandes of claiming that the adoption process was legitimate, thereby deceiving her.