In a suspected case of illegal adoption through forged documentation, ten persons—including government employees and private individuals—have been arrested in Karaikal following an investigation by the Tirunallar Police.

According to police, an elderly couple, Sadasivam ,68, and Lakshmi ,60, of Karukkankudi in Tirunallar had reportedly sought to adopt a child, as their son had remained childless for over a decade. A local woman referred them to a contact in Sirkazhi, who helped them obtain a one-month-old baby girl from Kalpakkam near Chennai.

To formalise the adoption, Sadasivam allegedly approached Panchamurthi, an employee at the Karaikal Government General Hospital. Based on his guidance, a fake medical certificate was arranged with the help of a woman from Erukattanchery near Thirumurugal in Nagapattinam district. This document was then submitted to the Karaikal Municipality, where municipal staffer Chandrasekhar reportedly assisted in issuing a forged birth certificate.

The case came to light when child welfare authorities raised doubts during a routine check, questioning how a previously childless couple had suddenly acquired a newborn. A complaint was lodged with the Tirunallar Police.

Investigations revealed that the baby had been brought in from outside the Union Territory and that fraudulent documents were used to obtain official records. Those arrested include Sadasivam, Lakshmi, hospital staff Panchamurthi, municipal worker Chandrasekhar, and others from Sirkazhi and Chennai, including Jiyavudeen, his wife, Vinoth, and Albert Ramesh. They were produced before a magistrate and remanded in judicial custody.

Further investigation is on.