IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY ORDINARY ORIGINAL CIVIL JURISDICTION AND IN ITS GENERAL AND INHERENT JURISDICTION INDIAN ADOPTION PETITION NO. 14 OF 2025 Vatsalya Trust … Petitioner And Mr. Shashank Deepak Fulzele &

Mrs. Nayantara Moon ...Prospective Adoptive Parents WITH JUDGE’S ORDER NO. 24 OF 2025 Ms. Aarti P. Kulkarni, Advocate for the Petitioner.

Mr. O. Hareendran, Scrutiny Officer-ICSW, present.

Ms.Nanda Sangode-Social Worker of Petitioner Institution.

Mr.Shashank Deepak Fulzele-Adoptive Father with Mrs. Nayantara Moon-Adoptive Mother and Shrinidhi-Minor are present.

Mr. Dilip S. Gurav, Chamber Registrar, present.

CORAM : ABHAY AHUJA, J.

DATE : 8^th MAY 2025 (In Camera in mini conference room)

P.C. :

1. This Indian Adoption Petition by the Petitioner seeks an order permitting adoption by the Prospective Adoptive Parents of a female minor named Shrinidhi born on 6^th November, 2023.

Digitally signed by NIKITA N YOIK GI ET SA H YOGESHGADGIL GADGIL Date:

2025.05.20 17:50:28 +0530

2. Shrinidhi was admitted to the Petitioner Institution on 21^st November, 2023 for the child’s care and safe custody under the provisions of Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015 (the “said Act”) as the biological mother surrendered her child before the Child Welfare Committee (CWC), Mumbai Suburban District on the same date.

3. After making due inquiry and after considering various circumstances and pursuant to powers under Section 38 of the said Act, the CWC, Mankhurd, Dist. Mumbai declared Shrinidhi “Legally Free for Adoption” on 15^th February, 2024.

4. The Prospective Adoptive Parents viz. Mr. Shashank Deepak Fulzele and Mrs. Nayantara Moon (the “PAPs”) are Indian nationals, resident of Nagpur and presently at Puttur, Dakshin Kannada, Karnataka, both are aged about 36 years. They have been married for the past 9 years (21^st April, 2016) with no biological children. The PAPs have their own house at Nagpur and presently staying in a rented 2 BHK house at Bantwala Taluk, Puttur Karnataka. The Prospective Adoptive father is working with Canara Bank as a Manager and since June, 2024 he was transferred from Jalna Main Branch to Puttur Branch, Dakshin Kannada, Karnataka. His monthly (April-2024) gross salary is Rs.93,653.46/. The Prospective Adoptive mother is a homemaker.

5. Mr. Hareendran, Scrutiny Officer, Indian Council of Social Welfare (“ICSW”), present at today’s hearing has tendered the representation dated 26^th April, 2025 of ICSW which contains a chronology of all the approvals and reports necessary for adoption with a request to consider the same before passing the final order. The said representation is taken on record and marked “X” for the purposes of identification.

6. Ms. Kulkarni, learned Counsel appearing for the Petitioner has taken me through the various approvals, reports, affidavits, declarations and undertakings as under :

7. I have hear