‘Reports indicate rampant illegal adoption, child trafficking in Telangana’: HC, accepts suo motu PIL petition

Reports submitted in a court appeal at Shishu Kendra in Nalgonda district “suggest widespread nature of illegal adoption or human trafficking activities of infants and young children in the state”, the Telangana High Court said on Tuesday.

Following this observation and noting that it was in larger public interest, a Bench of Chief Justice Aparesh Kumar Singh and Justice Vakiti Ramakrishna Reddy took up the matter suo motu as a public interest litigation. “Many of these children are infants and their biological parents are also untraceable and middlemen are absconding,” the HC Bench said.

The suo motu petition taken up by the PIL regarding “illegal adoption and trafficking of infants and children in Telangana” should also assess whether the Juvenile Justice Act, 2015 has been effectively implemented in the state, the Bench said.

The appeal was filed by 35-year-old farmer M. Venkanna challenging the order of a single judge refusing to grant him relief in his custody suit for his two-year-old adopted daughter Sharanya.

A farmer adopted the child from one Nakka Yadagiri when she was 30 days old in May 2023. A few years later, the police took the child from Venkanna’s house and claimed that the infant was among the children Yadagiri and his henchmen trafficked and sold. The police handed over the child to the custody of Shishu Kendra in Nalgonda for further protection and care.

The single judge dismissed Venkanna’s plea that the child could not be handed over to Venkanna as Venkanna had not adopted the child as per Central Adoption Authority (CARA) guidelines. He challenged the order and moved the Division Bench.

After hearing the contentions of the appellant and the government wings, the Bench appointed senior counsel B. Mayur Reddy as amicus curiae in the matter and sought a report on the matter. The bench noted that the home ministry had clarified that the biological parents of the child “adopted” by Venkanna were yet to be traced. A middle-aged woman accused of child trafficking was on the run.

While deciding to hear the appeal separately on October 7, the Bench directed that Principal Secretary Home, Women Development and Director Child Welfare, Secretary TSLSA and DGP, Security Wing be made respondents in the suo motu PIL taken up.

Senior counsel Mayur Reddy will continue to assist the HC in the PIL, which will be heard again on October 5, the Bench said.

Published – 22 Sep 2026 21:48 IST