LUCKNOW, Aug. 6 -- Police have widened their investigation into the alleged illegal transfer of a newborn in Lucknow, shifting focus to the functioning of a private hospital amid allegations that medical records were manipulated to bypass the legal adoption process. Investigators are examining hospital records, digital data and financial transactions as part of the probe. The probe has now centred on St Mary Polyclinic in Gudamba, where the child was born on August 3. "Investigators are scrutinising original birth registers, discharge records and digital hospital data after preliminary findings allegedly suggested that the biological mother's identity was replaced with another woman's name in hospital documents," ADCP (Crime) Kiran Yadav said. The development comes two days after police registered an FIR under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act against two women accused of allegedly transferring the newborn without following the legal adoption process. The FIR also names Dr Shalu, Dr Vinod and the administration of St Mary Polyclinic. Police said the role of doctors, hospital staff and any other persons involved is under investigation. According to police, Aarti Devi (42), a daily-wage worker from Bahadurpur, allegedly handed over the infant to Renu Sharma (46), a homemaker from Shanti Vihar, in exchange for Rs.3 lakh, which was allegedly used for construction of her family's house. "Investigators will rely on scientific and digital evidence rather than statements alone," Yadav said. Officers are examining medical records, electronic data and financial transactions while questioning doctors, hospital management and staff to establish how the records were prepared and whether they were deliberately falsified. The crime branch has initiated forensic examination of the documents and is preserving electronic evidence. Investigators are also probing whether any middlemen or a larger network facilitating illegal adoptions was involved. "If required, DNA profiling of the newborn and the two women will be conducted to establish the child's biological parentage and verify the authenticity of the hospital records," Yadav said. The newborn was recovered from Renu Sharma during the investigation. Police said she allegedly admitted that the child was not biologically hers, while the biological mother allegedly told investigators that she gave away the infant because of financial constraints and the other woman's inability to have children. The infant has been produced before the Child Welfare Committee and shifted to the Government Children's Home on Prag Narayan Road, where the child remains under protective care. Police said the investigation will determine whether the case is an isolated incident or part of a wider network involved in the illegal transfer of newborns. Officials reiterated that adoption in India can only take place through the statutory process prescribed under the Juvenile Justice Act and the Central Adoption Resource Authority (CARA), and that private arrangements supported by fabricated documents constitute a criminal offence....