A man was arrested Thursday on charge of human trafficking. The police said that the accused sold his own sons for pecuniary benefits.
The man was arrested when he sold his six-month-old son to pocket Rs.1.50 lakh from a ‘customer’ in Karnataka. The child was located and handed over to his mother.
The police questioned a woman lawyer from Mangalore for her suspected involvement in the alleged human trafficking case. The arrest of 31-year-old Ratheesh, residing at Nellikkunnu Tsunami Colony, followed after his wife Prema lodged a complaint with the Town Police accusing him of torture and harassment.
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The inquiry that followed came to light the shocking incident of exchanging the children for pecuniary benefits, Deputy Superintendent of Police M.P. Mohana Chandran Nair said.
The man was produced before a court here and was remanded in judicial custody for two weeks. The police registered a case under IPC 370 against the man.
Ratheesh, a casual labourer, had sold his eight-month-old son some 18 months ago to a person hailing from Kunthapura in Karnataka for Rs.60,000. He sold his second son just two weeks ago to a person in Mangalore under the mediation of the woman lawyer, the police said.
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The investigation that followed helped to trace the younger child. Efforts were on to locate the other one from Kunthapura, the police said.
The accused Ratheesh started living with Prema three years ago after deserting his first wife and three children. Prema said to have developed intimacy with Ratheesh after dissociating herself from her first husband. Police sources said the man sold the elder son with the consent of Prema. After having sold the second child, the couple left for Mumbai.
According to a police complaint lodged by Prema, Ratheesh allegedly tried to desert her midway through their journey to Mumbai.
Having returned to Kasaragod with the help of Malayalis in Mumbai, Prema lodged a police complaint against the man alleging harassment and torture.