Social media personality Sonu Srinivas Gowda arrested over illegal adoption

BENGALURU: Former Bigg Boss OTT contestant and ‘Tik Tok star’ Sonu Srinivas Gowda was arrested today by the Byadarahalli police on charges of illegal adoption of a girl child. The arrest was made during a joint operation by Child Protection Department officials and the police.

Recently, Sonu Srinivas Gowda was trolled on social media for adopting a girl child. Sonu Gowda herself had made a video with the child and introduced the child on social media.

Sonu has been accused of abusing child rights by not following adoption rules. Sonu Gowda has also been accused of trying to become a celebrity by garnering sympathy for adopting an 8-year-old girl child from North Karnataka.

It is said that Sonu Srinivas Gowda planned to gain publicity by adopting the child. She was arrested by the Byadarahalli police based on a complaint lodged by the child protection directorate officials on Thursday night.

Geeta, an official of the Directorate of Child Protection, said that Sonu Gowda posted about a child on social media. The child was illegally adopted as Sonu did not apply through CARA. “Actually, the child should not be exposed publicly and the identity of the child and the biological family have been revealed. Sonu has not even applied for adoption so far. There are a lot of procedures to be followed before adopting a child. The department will verify, whether the caretaker is capable enough to take care of the child”, she said.

“Moreover, she is not even married. There should be a 25-year age difference between an adoptive parent and a child. She also admitted that she had given something to the child’s family. There is a need to investigate whether the child was sold. Giving away a child to another for benefit is also wrong. The child’s parents will also be questioned. The Juvenile Delinquency Act and the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, have been completely violated”, the officer said.

Geeta, an officer of the Directorate of Child Protection.

Charges against Sonu Gowda :

1)  As per the Hindu Adoption Act, 1956, Section 6, information and eligibility should be provided about adopter. Sonu Srinivas Gowda did not follow the steps while applying online through the Central Adoption Resource Authority (CARA), the State Adoption Resource Agency (SARA), and the Child Protection Unit. The child was not adopted in the presence of the CWC or deputy commissioner.

2) According to the Juvenile Justice Act 2000, (Section 29) the parents should produce the child before the Child Welfare Committee and hand over the child as per the order of the committee.

3) Under the Juvenile Justice Act 2015 , under Section 56(5) and Section 317 of the Indian Penal Code 1860, as per Adoption Act 1956, Sections 14, 15, and 75, 74, and 80, the adoption process is considered completely illegal.

The police and CWC officials are questioning Sonu. She said it had been 41 days since she brought the child home. She claimed that she did not have any idea of the consequences of her action and that if she knew about it, she would have followed legal procedure.

Sonu also said that she was arrested even though she had done nothing wrong. Officials said that she lacks information, and the police do not arrest unless there is a mistake.

Sonu Gowda said during questioning that the child is the daughter of a couple who are working at a construction site near her apartment. The child used to come home to play with her and that it has been 41 days since the child was adopted. The couple has four children, including a boy and three girls. Sonu adopted the second child.

“When the child was not feeling well when she went to their hometown, she asked her family to contact me. When I decided to adopt that girl and brought her from Raichur, I promised the child’s parents that I would take care of her. All necessary preparations for adoption were also made, and I promised that I would take care of the child without getting married. I will spend the money that I got from social media to shape her life. But I did not think adoption was such a big process”, she added.

The police are collecting more information about the adoption of the child and the family background.