Kerala based couple, Anupama S Chandran and B Ajith Kumar, whose son was allegedly given for adoption without their consent, are now alleging that CPI(M) national leader and politburo member Brinda Karat was informed of the 'abduction'.
Karat was informed because Anupama's father PS Jayachandran, a local committee member of CPI(M) Peroorkada, "forcefully abducted" and gave the one-year-old child for adoption, because he was opposed to their relationship. The Quint has a copy of the letter which Anupama wrote to Karat.
Speaking to The Quint the couple further alleged that Jayachandran objected to the relationship because Kumar is a Dalit Christian. Anupama belongs to Ezhava (OBC) caste.
'Received No Help From Police, State and CPI(M)'
Anupama fell in love with Ajith Kumar and became pregnant last year. The couple said that they could not live together then as Kumar was married and was on the verge of getting a divorce. Kumar, however, is legally divorced now.
Anupama was a former area joint secretary of Students Federation of India in Peroorkada and CPI(M) Peroorkada branch member in Thiruvananthapuram. Kumar too is a member of CPI(M) and Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI)
Anupama delivered a baby boy on 19 October 2020. However, just three days after her delivery, the couple allege that Anupama's father Jayachandran along with her family members and P Ramesh (CPI(M) branch member) allegedly took the child away from them.
Speaking to The Quint, Kumar said,
"We also complained to Brinda Karat. She spoke to CPI(M) leader Sreemathi teacher and asked her to help us." The CPI(M) polit bureau member, he said, also directed them to reach out CPI(M) Zilla Secretary and Area Secretary in Thiruvananthapuram. "We did as she told. But no one has helped us."
"Brinda Karat said she could do only so much as she was not a party leader in the state," Kumar told The Quint. The couple also lodged complaints with the Peroorkada Police Station, several CPI(M) leaders, office of Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan, Director General of Police, Assistant Commissioner, Child Rights Commission and Women's Rights Commission.
"But none of them have helped us in finding our child."
'CPI(M) Was Involved in the Abduction'
Jayachandran claims to have a written note which states his daughter is mentally unstable and hence would not be able to take care of the child. The note's existence was corroborated by the local police. Anupama had said that she was forced by her parents to sign some documents when she was pregnant.
"After we complained to CWC, we came to know that Anupama's father had left the child in Ammathottil. We later learnt that 2 children were left there on 23 October. Of the two, one was already adopted by someone," Kumar said, adding that a DNA test was performed on the other child. Its result was negative, he said. However, the couple have not been able to confirm if the adopted one was theirs.
Ammathottil is the electronic cradle system functioning under Kerala State Council for Child Welfare, that has been instituted to provide better life conditions to the destitute, abandoned and relinquished children.
Kumar alleges that the ruling CPI(M) was allegedly involved in the abduction of his child. He says that Anupama's father executed all this with the help of his friends in the party and his advocate.
Anumapa said that Ajith's father, who is also Peroorkada local committee member of CPI(M) was called by the party's district secretary Anavoor Nagappan at his office. "There, the secretary threatened Ajith's father and asked him to send me back. Ajith also received several threats from the party members," she said, adding that he has now been expelled from the party.
'Police Should Investigate And Give the Child to Mother': CPI(M) District Secretary
When asked about the issue, CPI(M) Thiruvananthapuram District Committee Secretary Anavoor Nagappan told The Quint that the committee has received a letter that Anupama had written to them.
"Neither the mother nor the father came to the party for help. Mother had written a letter to us. It is on the basis of this that we enquired. But the father never came to us."District Committee Secretary Anavoor Nagappan
He added, "The mother should get the child, that is justice. The legal proceeding is going on in the case. The police should investigate and give the child back to his mother."
Anupama meanwhile had said she gave a written complaint to Anavoor Nagappan. "I even called him, but, he scolded me saying this is not a party issue."
She added that she has her son's birth certificate, although she alleges that her parents mistyped the "father's name" in it to cheat her. The couple now say that they in a very depressed state. "We don't even know if our kid is alive."
Local Police Registers FIR, 5 Months After Receiving Complaint
The police have reportedly filed a FIR in the case only on 19 October, almost five months after the couple complained to them. And that too after this issue was widely reported in the media, he rued.
The News Minute reported that the police have registered a case against Anupama's father Jayachandran, mother Smitha, sister Anju, and her husband Arun, besides the CPI(M) leader's friends Ramesh and Anil Kumar.
All have been booked under sections 343 (wrongful confinement for three or more days), 361 (kidnapping from lawful guardianship), 471 (using as genuine a forged document or electronic record), and 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
However, no arrest has been made in the case so far.
Jayachandran, meanwhile has gone on record to say he has given the child for adoption to Child Welfare Committee (CWC). According to Asianet News, he also allegedly said he did this with Anupama's consent.
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