Hyderabad: Taking a firm stand against attempts to bypass the legal adoption process, Telangana high court ruled that emotional bonds formed between parents and children adopted through illegal means cannot justify ‘backdoor adoptions’. The court warned that legitimising such practices would open the door to illegal adoptions and encourage child trafficking across the country. A bench of Justice T Madhavi Devi made these observations while hearing a petition filed by a couple from Suryapet who had bypassed the Central Adoption Resource Authority (CARA) guidelines governing adoption. Without the knowledge of the child’s biological parents, the couple procured a girl child through an individual allegedly involved in child trafficking cases. While acknowledging that the petitioners had taken ‘good care’ of the child, the court emphasised that procedural shortcuts are a recipe for disaster.Couple’s claimAccording to the couple, they adopted the child in May 2023 by performing ‘datta homam’, followed by a cradle ceremony and a grand celebration of the child’s first birthday. They stated that the child, who was physically weak at the time of adoption, had since become healthy and an integral part of their lives due to the care and affection they provided. However, in June 2025, police took custody of the child, claiming she had been trafficked for illegal adoption. The child has since been under govt care.The couple contended that the child has been suffering from severe mental agony and depression due to the absence of parental care and sought her custody from the authorities. They also applied to CARA, requesting that their adoption plea be considered out of turn and that the child be handed over to them through legal procedures. When no decision was forthcoming, they approached the high court. Dismissing the petition, the court reiterated that adoptions must strictly adhere to CARA guidelines to safeguard abandoned and orphaned children. It held that developing an emotional bond with a child does not entitle a couple to bypass the official waitlist or seek an out-of-turn adoption. Dangerous precedentReferring to Supreme Court rulings, the bench observed that granting such relief would set a dangerous precedent, undermining public administration and compromising child safety. The court directed the petitioners to wait for their turn in the official CARA registry, stating that it was unwilling to turn a blind eye to what it described as a ‘clear case of child trafficking’.
