The anti-extortion unit of the Navi Mumbai Crime Branch rescued a 10-day-old boy from four people who intended to sell the baby, near Koparkhairane railway station on Friday.
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The accused have been identified as Majid Abdul Ajid Shaikh (27) and Rais Hajrat Kazi (26) from Mumbra, Nagina Begum Yusuf Khan (28) from Ambivali and Manjusha Tilak Khatoda (23) from Khar. Mr. Shaikh is a salesman, while Mr. Kazi is a software designer.
“The accused were arrested on Friday evening from the service road near Reliance Hospital in Koparkhairane. We suspect their involvement in similar previous incidents,” Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime Branch) Tushar Doshi said.
A real estate agent called Vishal Dubey helped the police nab the accused. According to the police, a nurse from a hospital in Navi Mumbai told Mr. Dubey that Mr. Shaikh had approached her, asking if she knew any couple in need of a baby.
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“The nurse found it fishy and told Mr. Dubey about it. Mr. Dubey suspected that Mr. Shaikh may be kidnapping and selling babies, and informed us. He then posed as a customer and contacted Mr. Shaikh,” senior police inspector Shirish Pawar, anti-extortion unit, said.
Mr. Shaikh then put up a Facebook post seeking babies for adoption, and Ms. Khatoda contacted him and said she had a baby with her. “Mr. Shaikh told Mr. Dubey he could get a baby for ₹3 lakh,” Mr. Pawar said.
Baby from Bengaluru
Ms. Khatoda and her friend Ms. Khan, who is originally from Bengaluru, met Mr. Shaikh and Mr. Kazi with the baby. The four came to Koparkhairane to meet Mr. Dubey, and were arrested.
The police have found a case paper from a hospital in Bengaluru with the accused, which mentions the birth date and discharge details of the baby, and the names of his parents.
Mr. Pawar said, “Our team will visit the hospital to verify the identity of the baby and his parents.” The baby has been taken to Vishwa Balak orphanage in Nerul.
The accused have been arrested under Sections 363 (kidnapping), 370 (exploitation) and 34 (common intention) of the Indian Penal Code, and under the Juvenile Justice Act. They have been remanded in police custody till July 27.