The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has busted a network of traffickers involved in buying and selling of infants across India for the purpose of adoption through social media ads as well as for other illegal purposes. The CBI said as it carried out raids at multiple locations in the national Capital region and rescued three children while also arresting seven accused in connection.
CBI sources said, newborns were being bought and sold as commodities in the black market. Seven people, including women and a hospital staffer, allegedly involved in selling and buying children have been arrested by the CBI and are being questioned. The CBI is currently in the midst of interrogating all parties involved, including both the woman who sold the children and the buyers themselves.
Three newborn babies were rescued from a house located in the Keshavpuram area of the national Capital after the CBI conducted raids at seven locations across Delhi and Haryana. The raids were carried out in several areas in Rohini and Keshavpuram on Friday evening.
During searches, the CBI seized Rs 5.5 lakh cash and other documents. The arrested persons have been identified as Neeraj of Sonipat and Indu Pawar of Delhi’s Paschim Vihar, Aslam of Patel Nagar, Pooja Kashyap of Kanhaiya Nagar, Anjali of Malviya Nagar, Kavita and Ritu.
Based on an input, the CBI on Friday evening started a search operation at seven locations in Delhi and Haryana when two infants - 1.5 days old and 15 days old - were found by the agency sleuths which the gang was planning to sell, the CBI said.
The gang allegedly contacted childless couples desirous of adopting babies through advertisement, on social media platforms like Facebook page and WhatsApp groups. “They allegedly purchase babies from real parents as well as surrogate mothers and thereafter sell the infant children at the prices ranging from Rs 4 to Rs 6 lakh per child. These accused are also allegedly involved in duping many childless couples of lakhs of rupees by creating fake documents related to adoption,” CBI spokesperson said about the operation.
According to CBI, among the arrested, masterminds Neeraj hails from Sonipat and Indu Pawar from Paschim Vihar, Delhi. Their associates Aslam from Patel Nagar, and Pooja Kashyap, Kavita and Ritu were tasked with taking care of the children. Anjali of Malviya Nagar allegedly used to bring customers, the CBI said. The CBI has registered a criminal case under various penal provisions of IPC and Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act 2015 against 10 accused persons over allegations that a network of infant children traffickers involved in buying and selling of infants across India for the purpose of adoption as well as for other illegal purposes, the sources said.It is being said that certain hospitals, medical centres may also be on the list of the probe agency with their suspected role in the entire ordeal.
The probe in this regard has so far revealed that the accused used to approach and get in touch with childless couples wanting to adopt babies across the country through advertisements on social media platforms.
It is also said that the syndicate allegedly used to purchase babies from real parents, mainly very poor individuals, surrogate mothers and thereafter would sell the infant at the prices ranging from Rs 4 to 6 lakhs per child. They were also allegedly involved in duping many such couples of lakhs of rupees by creating fake documents regarding adoption.
Further, a thorough investigation is being conducted in the matter, while the probe agency is questioning the arrested accused to further find out linkages, the sources said.
The scope of this operation extends far beyond the borders of Delhi, with the CBI making arrests of individuals involved in trafficking seven to eight children across the National Capital Region
