Bengaluru: The Directorate of Child Protection is observing November 2026 as International Adoption Month, as it does every year, and the Bengaluru Urban (Central) district child protection unit has warned that illegal adoption is a crime and selling children is punishable.
What the law says
- Under Sections 80 and 81 of the Juvenile Justice Act, 2015, those who sell or buy children face up to five years’ imprisonment and a fine of up to ₹1 lakh.
- If a hospital is found to be involved, the sentence can be extended to seven years, with a minimum of three years.
As part of the month, awareness is being created on the foster care scheme, legal adoption and the fact that the illegal adoption process is an offence.
Who to contact
Members of the public who know of orphaned, abandoned or surrendered children can contact the office of the District Child Protection Officer, District Child Protection Unit, Bengaluru Urban (Central), Child Care Institutions Complex, Dr. M.H. Marigowda Road, behind Kidwai Hospital, Bengaluru, or call 080-29919017, the District Child Protection Officer said in a release.
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