Surrogate mother claims wife's status; couple says she was hired

A businessman in the city locked in a dispute with a woman, who he claimed to be the surrogate mother of his child, today said the lady was "hired" for Rs1 lakh.

However, according to an FIR filed by the woman, she has claimed the status of wife and declined to hand over the child to the couple.

Police said the custody of the one-year-old child was granted to the woman identified as Rani in the FIR. The child was born last year in a private nursing home  in Ghaziabad. In the hospital register, she is identified as wife of Madan Lal.

The child's father said, Rani, in her 30s, was hired by the couple as his wife was infertile. He said they had given Rs1 lakh to the woman.

Police said she refused to give the child's custody to the couple and went to her house in New Delhi with the boy. Three months back, Lal brought her here and she stayed with the family. But she demanded a separate house to live with him and the child.

Yesterday, she had filed a complaint with police in Kavinagar demanding protection of her rights as wife. Police said she claimed that he had married her secretly, but the man was living with his legal wife.

No case is registered so far, police said adding the custody of the child was given to Rani as mother's care was required for the toddler now.

She is now at her father's house in New Delhi with the child. Police denied to have solved the matter of surrogation as it is not covered under any law in the country.