Lawrence Milton, TNN | Oct 30, 2013, 07.08AM IST

MYSORE: The Child Welfare Committee, a quasi judicial body, on Tuesday permitted the relative of two orphan brothers, who have been put up for adoption, to meet them at a rehab home in Bangalore.

Even as the adoption process is under way, one of their relatives, is now seeking their custody. Officers concerned and members of NGOs are now in a quandary whether to send the children with their relative or go ahead with the adoption plan.

CWC president N Venkatesh told TOI that Doddappa recently approached them seeking custody of his younger brother's two sons who are in legal custody in rehab homes in Mysore and Bangalore since 2008.

"As none of their relatives turned up for three to four years, we decided to put up them for adoption to ensure a better future for them. They were sent to Bangalore-based Vatsalya Charitable Trust. Legally, we can't separate the brothers, now aged 7 and 8 and put them up for adoption. As none in Mysore region came to adopt the bothers together, we decided to send them to Bangalore home after necessary permission from all authorities concerned. A family has come forward to adopt them and the process is on," he said.

He said the arrival of their uncle Doddappa seeking custody has made things complicated.

During the Tuesday meeting, the CWC took up the issue and permitted Doddappa to meet the boys.

"A letter has been given to him. We'll take a decision on future course of action after their meeting," the CWC chief added.

Childhood tragedy

When the brothers were aged 2 and 3, their mother was found murdered in 2008 and their father allegedly committed suicide after the incident. Their mother was found dead at their native place in T Narasipura in Mysore, said CWC members.

The kids were then produced before CWC by local NGO members and their relative Doddappa, a daily wage worker, in 2008. As the children were too young to stay at the government-run boys' home, they were sent to Bapuji Children Home.

Initially, Doddappa visited them at the Home, but for the past few years no one turned up to meet them. The boys were in the custody of Bapuji Home till 2012 before they were relocated to Vatsalya Charitable Trust in Bangalore.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mysore/Uncles-claim-puts-Child-Welfare-Committee-in-dilemma/articleshow/24905783.cms?referral=PM