Supreme Court restores custody in Telangana adoption case
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In Telangana, India, the Supreme Court ruled that adoptive parents should regain custody of their two-year-old son.
The child’s biological mother voluntarily gave him to the couple shortly after his birth in April 2024, because of financial hardship. The couple provided care for the child, including vaccinations and enrolling him in the Aadhaar identification system. However, the Telangana Child Welfare Committee took the child into its care in February 2025, leading the adoptive parents to appeal to the courts.
The Supreme Court determined that a mother’s financial difficulties alone do not prove a child was sold, and the adoptive parents had demonstrated proper care. Although the adoption did not fully comply with the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act of 2015 or involve the Central Adoption Resource Authority, the court focused on the well-being of the child in this specific instance.
The Telangana government argued releasing the child would harm the investigation into a wider network of child trafficking operating across several states, including Gujarat, Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu. Investigators found the adoptive parents paid ₹6 lakh (approximately $7,200 USD) to a woman connected to the trafficking network. The court clarified its decision applies only to this case and does not affect ongoing investigations into other alleged trafficking incidents.
