UP: Illegal hospital sealed, FIR against owner after newborn handed over to another couple

Lucknow: A private hospital in Shahjahanpur has been sealed and an FIR has been lodged against its owner and staff for allegedly handing over a newborn girl to another couple.

Following the incident, the protest was staged by Vishwa Hindu Parishad demanding strict action against the owner and staff of the hospital.

Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) Sanjay Kumar on Friday said Sangita, a resident of Tralokpur village under Nigohi police station area, got admitted to a private hospital in Shahjahanpur following labour pain on Wednesday night.

The woman delivered a baby girl here. The hospital owner has been identified as Dr. Ashok Rathore told Sangita that since she already has five daughters, she will neither be able to look after the sixth nor will be able to pay the hospital fees, he said, adding that he then handed over the baby girl to a Muslim couple.

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Realizing the mistake, the woman's husband returned to the hospital and asked Dr. Rathore to return his baby. However, it was too late as Dr. Rathore said that he sold the baby to a Muslim couple.

After coming to know about the matter, the Hindu right-wing outfit leader Rajesh Awasthi reached Nigohi police station on Thursday evening and burnt an effigy of the owner.

Demanding strict action against the hospital and its owner, VHP workers expressed their displeasure after the child born to a Hindu woman was given to a Muslim couple.

As the matter started escalating, the Muslim couple handed back the child to the hospital owner, PTI reports.

Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Gautam said as soon as he came to know about the incident, he had sent a team under Additional CMO Dr. Rohtas to the private hospital in Nigohi, but by then the owner of the hospital had fled.

The hospital was sealed after it was found to be unregistered. Additionally, a team has been formed to probe the matter, he added.

A case has been registered under IPC section 342 and Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection) Act against the hospital owner on Thursday, police said, adding that efforts are on to nab him.

CMO Gautam told The Indian Express "I conducted an inquiry after learning about the situation. The hospital wasn't registered, which we discovered during our initial investigation. Therefore, the hospital has been sealed. We are checking the hospital's information on a daily basis. Based on the inquiry findings, the next course of action will be decided."

Explaining more about the owner of the hospital who admitted to his crime, VHP's Shahjahanpur district secretary Rajesh Awasthi said, "After we came to know about the matter, I called up the hospital owner. He admitted to handing over a baby to a couple. When I asked whether the due procedure was followed, he stayed mum. After my call, the hospital owner immediately returned the baby girl to her parents. I have requested district administration and police to arrest the owner of the hospital."

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