Opposing a move by US couple to adopt a nine-year old dyslexic child the Supreme Court of India has shown concern that a lot of "disturbing material” is being aired by the media about Indian children adopted by foreign parents.

The government was of the view that Indian children adopted by foreign parents are vulnerable to various forms of exploitation and said once they leave the country's shores it would be difficult to protect their interests the Solicitor general Gopal Subramanium told a bench of Justices Markandeya Katju and TS Thakur

The solicitor general said, "I have made enquiries. Lot of disturbing material have come out. There are many cases of exploitation (even sexual) of such children in the foreign countries. These children (abandoned) have no voice of their own. Nobody can speak for them if the child is abused in the foreign country. There is very little we can do".

The Delhi high court had on August 31 last year rejected the plea of cerebral palsy-afflicted Craig Allen Coates and his wife Cynthia Ann Coates, residents of Winnebago, USA, to adopt an Indian dyslexic boy. The plea was rejected as the couple was already having two sons and a daughter, and they may exploit him as a domestic help.

At present there was no legislation on inter-country adoptions in our country.