Melbourne: A senior judge in Australia has called for New South Wales police and child welfare authorities to probe the surrogacy case of a baby boy who was left abandoned in India.
Citing that it was illegal in New South Wales to enter into commercial surrogacy arrangements, Chief Justice of Federal Circuit Court, John Pascoe, saying that there were grounds for a police investigation.
"I would imagine there'd be a number of reasons why the police should be involved and obviously the welfare authorities as well," he was quoted as saying by ABC news.
In 2012, a couple from New South Wales (NSW) state, were delivered a set of twins by a surrogate mother after entering into a commercial surrogacy deal in New Delhi, the report said.
But just nine days after the birth of the twins - a boy and girl - the couple told Australian High Commission staff in New Delhi that they would not be adopting the boy and returning to Australia with just the girl.
They argued they could not afford both children, already had a boy back home and wanted a girl, the report said adding the biological father of the twins is a corporate accountant with a large firm and until recently his wife ran a home based child care centre.
Australian High Commission in New Delhi eventually agreed to the couple's request to grant citizenship and a passport for just the baby girl.
The report also qouted Chief Justice of Australia's Family Court, Diana Bryant as saying that she was told by two High Commission staff that money had changed hands during the adoption process, which if true, would amount to child trafficking.
Stating that an enquiry into commercial surrogacy was needed, Bryant said "I think an enquiry is the first step.
Meanwhile a spokesman for Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said No application for Australian citizenship or passport was made for the male child at the time and Indian government became responsible for his welfare and any adoption arrangement became a matter for its legal system.
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