Copenhagen, June 11 (AP): Denmark today suspended all adoptions from India after a news report claimed that some of the children who have been adopted in the Scandinavian country could have been abducted.

“I am concerned about the conditions that have surfaced,” said Carina Christensen, the consumer and family affairs minister.

She said the suspension would hold “until we feel totally safe that the adoptions from India can be made in a reassuring way”.

Christensen also ordered Danish authorities to investigate AC International Child Support, one of Denmark’s two government-approved adoption agencies.

The organisation, known as AC, was accused in a documentary by Danish TV station DR1 of having received children from an orphanage in Pune without the approval of their birth parents.

In the documentary broadcast yesterday, Ramesh Kulkarni claimed he temporarily placed his two children at Preet Mandir orphanage while looking for a job after his wife died. Kulkarni told DR1 that for years, he was barred from seeing his children at the orphanage.

In April, Kulkarni learned the pair had been adopted in Denmark in 2003 through AC International Child Support.

“If the Indian authorities’ investigation shows that Ramesh Kulkarni wrongfully had his children taken away from him, it is a very tragic case and a big tragedy,” AC board chairman Anders Christensen said.

“We expect the Indian authorities will pursue the case and find out whether a crime has been committed in connection with the legalisation of the (adoption) documents.”

The western Denmark-based agency said it had stopped cooperating with Preet Mandir in June 2003 after “repeated rumours about the agency management’s use of unethical methods”.

Over the years, AC had found homes for 26 children from Preet Mandir. It was unclear when AC started working with the orphanage.

The documentary showed the orphanage manager, J. Bhasin — filmed with a hidden camera by DR1 — saying a child costs $7,000.

“Children who are adopted to Denmark cannot be bought,” Christensen said. “That is in violation of international rules.”

The DR1 channel said Indian authorities had earlier investigated child trafficking allegations against Preet Mandir.

The broadcast did not indicate that DR1 had sought any comment from India’s adoption authorities, the Central Adoption Resource Agency — called Cara — or from the orphanage.

Attempts to reach Preet Mandir and Cara after office hours failed.

The suspension of Indian adoption also affected Danadopt, the other Danish adoption agency, which has not cooperated with Preet Mandir.

In 2006, 514 children born abroad were adopted in Denmark. Of them, 34 were born in India.