The Supreme Court of India has issued notice to the Chhattisgarh government and two doctors following a plea alleging a baby swap at a private hospital in Raipur.
The case centres around a 2023 incident at Mata Laxmi Nursing Home, where the petitioner couple claims their newborn son was wrongfully replaced with another girl.
A Bench comprising Justices Manoj Misra and Ujjal Bhuyan observed that the matter ‘requires consideration’ and directed the Raipur Superintendent of Police, Police Station Khamardih, gynaecologist Dr Neeraj Pehlajani, and Nursing Home Director Dr Sameer Pehlajani to respond within four weeks.
Allegation of Child Swapping
According to the petition, Usha Singh gave birth to twins — a boy and a girl — at Mata Laxmi Nursing Home in 2023.
However, upon discharge, the hospital allegedly handed over two girls.
Suspicious of the situation, the couple conducted a DNA test, which confirmed that only one child was biologically related to them, while the other matched neither parent.
The petition describes the incident as a ‘clear case of child swapping’.
Legal Battle and High Court Rejection
Before approaching the apex court, the couple filed a petition in the Chhattisgarh High Court in 2024, seeking registration of an FIR and the recovery of their missing child.
They also requested directions for custody of the allegedly kidnapped infant.
However, a bench headed by Chief Justice Ramesh Sinha dismissed the plea in January.
The High Court relied on an internal inquiry report submitted by a six-member committee of doctors, which found the hospital records in order and stated there was ‘no proof or evidence of any kind submitted by the complainant regarding child theft’.
The High Court concluded, “We do not find any good ground to interfere with the case. Petitioners are at liberty to take recourse to law, if they so advised.”
Challenging the dismissal, the couple filed a Special Leave Petition (SLP) before the Supreme Court, arguing that the High Court had failed to consider whether the DNA findings were adequately investigated and whether their complaint justified a criminal inquiry.
Taking cognisance of the matter, the Supreme Court ordered, “Matter requires consideration. Issue notice to the Respondents, returnable in four weeks.”
The case raises serious concerns over hospital accountability and the handling of childbirth documentation in private healthcare institutions.
The court’s decision to examine the issue marks a crucial step in uncovering the truth behind the alleged swap.
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