Media reports have highlighted the shocking acts of sale of babies by Get Well Hospital, Neelasandra on Friday December 28th, 2012. Reference:  (Times of India, Deccan Herald and The Hindu)

This is not the first instance where there has been evidence that this hospital has been involved in child trafficking.

There was another sting operation conducted at this hospital by the Ashok Nagar Police Station and APSA in mid 2010, which was also videotaped and shown in the media at that time. YET this hospital and its owners have been functioning with impunity since then with no follow up after the sting operation.

Dr. Parveen Prakash, who runs this hospital along with her husband retired Lt. Col. Prakash, was caught red handed by the authorities for selling a child. She has been arrested along with her son Harsha on Thursday, December 27th, 2012. Dr. Parveen and Harsha have been remanded to custody for 4 days but the hospital continues to function. According to newsreports, a criminal case has been registered, and investigation is currently underway.

The sale of children amounts to nothing less than their illegal trafficking and is an extremely heinous offence. It is even worse when medical professionals indulge in such actions. However, it appears that no action has been taken in regard the functioning of the hospital, and this is shocking, as the hospital itself was involved in a serious and grave crime. Permitting it to continue, even risks the possibility of such crimes continuing.

Given the extremely serious nature of the crime that the hospital has been involved in, it is absolutely essential that immediate steps are taken to cancel and revoke the license of the hospital, and further that steps be taken to revoke the license of the doctors to practice. To indulge in such criminal acts that violate the fundamental rights of babies, the most vulnerable of us all, goes against the fundamental principle and responsibility of medical professionals. Further, it is necessary that the license of the medical practitioners who were involved in this crime be immediately revoked as they are guilty of gross misconduct and conduct which is in absolute contravention of medical ethics.

1) We demand that the hospital be shut down with immediate effect, their license be revoked permanently and the notice of revocation be displayed at the hospital entrance, which should be sealed so they do not continue to function surreptitiously.

2) We demand that her medical license be revoked or, at the very least, suspended with immediate effect and a notice of this revocation be displayed at the hospital.

3) We demand that the police conduct independent and speedy investigation into the crimes committed by them and book them under the appropriate laws relating to trafficking and ensure that they are dealt with to the fullest extent of the law and be held without bail.

Copies of this letter are being sent to

• Department of Health & Family Welfare, Government of Karnataka. # 105, Ist Floor, Vikas Soudha, Bangalore 560001
• Karnataka Medical Council, #70, 2nd Floor, "Vaidyakeeya Bhavana", K.R. Road,H.B. Samaja Road Corner, Basavanagudi, Bangalore- 560004. 
• Jyothi Prakash Mirji, Commissioner, Bangalore City Police, 1 Infantry Road, Bangalore

Please attend the gathering at Commissioner of Police’s office on Infantry Road on December 31st at noon to peacefully hand over the petition to him and ask for immediate and strict action.

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