Belagavi police arrested five persons, including a doctor, on the charges of selling and buying an infant that was allegedly born to an unwed mother in Karnataka.
Mahadevi, alias Priyanka Bahubali Jain from Bailhongal, Abdulgafar Hussainsaab Ladkhan, a physician from Hanchinal village near Saundatti, Chandan Subedar from Shigihali village near Bailhongal, Pavitra Somappa Madiwalar from Sampagaon village near Bailhongal, and Praveen Manjunath Madiwalar from Dharwad were produced in a court that remanded them in judicial custody.
Acting on a complaint by Rajkumar Ningappa Rathod, the coordinator of the Government Adoption Centre of the District Child Protection cell, police investigated the sale of a month-old girl child. They found out that Dr. Ladkhan had sold the child to Ms. Jain for ₹60,000. Subsequently, Ms. Jain making attempts to sell the child.
A team of police officer went undercover and got in touch with her. They convinced her that they would buy the baby for ₹1.4 lakh. They arrested her when she arrived with the baby girl at a mutually agreed place in Belagavi.
The baby was admitted to the district hospital.
Further investigation led to the arrest of the other accused.
“An investigation is on to see if this transaction was part of a racket,” said P.V. Sneha, Deputy Commissioner of Police (crime). A case has been registered at Malmaruti police station.
The investigating team was headed by Deputy Commissioners Rohan Jagadeesh and Ms. Sneha, and comprised Inspector J.M. Kalimirchi, Ramanagouda Sankanala, K.B. Gourani, and Jasmin Mulla.
Published - June 10, 2024 02:01 pm IST
