Nimesh Bhansali, who rescued the newborn last week from a nullah, refused visitation rights; gets earful from judge for speaking to media and not reporting to police immediately after rescuing him
A confused Nimesh Bhansali leaves the juvenile court premises with his father after being told to do so. (Right) The nullah from where Baby Ansh was rescued a week ago.
Nimesh Bhansali is confused and heartbroken. The Virar businessman, who became the face of humanity after rescuing an abandoned newborn from a nullah in Naigaon on April 19, learnt a harsh life lesson yesterday — that noble intentions alone cannot help you beat the system.
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Also Read: Mumbai: Baby Ansh out of hospital but separated from 'family'
A confused Nimesh Bhansali leaves the juvenile court premises with his father after being told to do so. (Right) The nullah from where Baby Ansh was rescued a week ago. Pics/Nimesh Dave
Two days after the newborn, named Ansh by Bhansali, was cruelly separated from the family that nurtured him back to life over a week, he was put under the care of a children’s home, run by NGO Janani Charitable Trust in Dombivli, by the juvenile court in Bhiwandi. His name was also changed to Vishwajit.
Crueller was the treatment handed to the child’s saviour. The Bhansalis wanted to adopt Ansh, but they were allegedly not even allowed on the court premises. “I reached the court around 1pm to attend the proceedings, but I was asked by the staff to go out of the court room,” he said. He complied and settled for peeping through a windowpane, instead. But he was allegedly told brusquely to leave the court premises.
Read Story: Abandoned baby Ansh is now the 'most wanted' baby in town
After the court proceedings ended, Bhansali sought information from the court staff on the case developments. “But they told me that the baby was no longer my concern and that the authorities concerned will now be responsible for his care,” he said. He wasn’t even allowed to spend a few minutes with Ansh before the baby was taken away by the NGO.
Hauled over the coals
Not ready to give up without a fight, Bhansali then sought a meeting with the judge, hoping that she would allow his family to adopt the baby after he presented his case before her. The judge, though, gave him an earful. She pulled him up for failing to take the baby directly to the police after rescuing him. Bhansali has rushed the baby, who had suffered ant bites all over his face, to the Oscar Multispeciality Hospital in Kandivli, instead. “She also asked me why I talked to the media about the case,” he said.
The rude shock of being chastened for coming to the aid of an abandoned baby when no onlooker wanted to risk rescuing him has left Bhansali embittered. “If this is the way people are going to be dealt with, then how will anyone ever jump to the rescue of a person in need?” he questioned.
Bhansali has not even been granted visitation rights. “The court told me that I had done by duty and the government will now take care of him. I will always feel that Ansh is my baby. I want to raise him as my own child,” he said.
Bhansali was also miffed with the adoption procedures. “There are many couples who want to adopt children, but all they do is make the rounds of courts and NGOs,” he rued.
Jayashree Deshpande, executive director of Janani Charitable Trust, refused to divulge any detail on Ansh. “As per the juvenile justice law, I cannot speak about any individual kid,” is all she told mid-day.
Prakash Parte, Vasai-Vali police inspector and investigating officer of the case, confirmed that the baby is now under the care of the trust.
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