External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj with Geeta. (File photo)
Another couple has come forward claiming that the deaf-mute girl Geeta, who returned from Pakistan last October after accidentally landing in that country and staying there for over a decade, is their daughter.
"Ranjeet Singh and his wife Maya petitioned us yesterday (seeking permission to meet her) saying Geeta was their daughter who got lost when they were travelling 27 years ago," a senior district official said.
The application was being examined before being sent to the Centre which will decide whether to allow the Bhopal-based couple to meet Geeta, he added.
So far the district authorities have received five applications from people claiming that Geeta was their daughter, the officer added.
Last month, Aneesa Bi, a 40-year-old woman from Jabalpur district, had claimed that Geeta was her long-lost daughter, Najjo. However, Geeta didn't recognise her from photograph. In November, a family from Bihar had come forward claiming that Geeta's real name was Heera Mahato. However the DNA test disproved the claim.
Before that, she had refused to recognise a couple from Uttar Pradesh.
Similar claims were made by a few others families too. Geeta is staying at an institution for the hearing-impaired people.
Geeta was reportedly 7 or 8 years old when she was found sitting alone on the Samjhauta Express by the Pakistan Rangers at Lahore railway station 15 years ago. She was then adopted by Edhi Foundation's Bilquis Edhi.