Mother Teresa Missionaries of Charity investigated over baby trafficking concerns

Mother Teresa founded Missionaries of Charity childcare homes across India will be subject to inspections amid fears relating to baby trafficking.

Just weeks ago a home run by the order in eastern Jharkhand state was shut down after a nun and a worker were arrested for the crime.

An Indian couple were said to have paid a total of 120,000 rupees (AU $2,354) to a worker at shelter by the name of Anima Indwar, the ABC reported.

The home which provides shelter for pregnant, unmarried women is one of many across the country that will be under investigation following the arrest.

According to the ABC baby trafficking is not uncommon in charity-run homes and hospitals in India due to a long waiting list for adoption.

In a bid to crack down on crime Women and Child Development Minister Maneka Gandhi on Monday released a statement claiming states have one month to ensure all childcare institutions are registered and linked to the federal adoption authority.

“Taking cognizance of the recent cases of illegal adoptions carried out by Missionaries of Charity in Jharkhand, Maneka Ghandi has instructed the states to get childcare homes run by Missionaries of Charity all over the country inspected immediately,” the statement read.

The Missionaries of Charity hasn’t been in charge of organising adoption in India since 2015 due to disagreements with government rule that made it easier for single, divorced and separated people to adopt children.

However, to date there are still 4,000 institutions that are yet to be linked to the authority, more than two years after the Juvenile Justice Act came into affect.

This act made it mandatory for shelter home’s dealing with children and their adoption to be linked to the Central Adoption Authority.

Hoping to put an end to baby trafficking, teams will now inspect all shelter homes immediately with reports due in early August.

“If we find any one operating such homes illegally, strong action will be taken,” the ABC reported Jharkhand State Commission for Protection of Child Rights Chairwoman Arti Kujur said.

Kujur also confirmed that all four babies involved in the baby trafficking earlier this month have been recovered by authority.

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