Delhi Police on Saturday, 22 January, arrested a 30-year-old woman for allegedly trying to sell her one-month-old baby girl for cash. The police also arrested those who brokered the deal and busted a child trafficking ring.
As per the police’s press release, information regarding one Praveen Khatoon involved in the selling of minor children was received on Saturday.
The police formed a raiding team comprising sub-inspector Lalit Kumar. Further, a policeman and a policewoman posed as a fake couple (decoy customers) and approached the suspects to purchase a child.
How did the Police Bust the Ring?
The fake couple was then introduced by the informer to Praveen Khatoon and her associate Satish. The police added that Satish told of a woman named Santosh who was to make arrangements of a minor child.
The fake couple reached Delhi's Mangolpuri area to meet Santosh, who called the accused, Madhu, at the spot with her one-month-old female child.
After the deal was finalised, the decoy customers brought all four Santosh, Satish, Praveen Khatoon, and Madhu along with the girl child at Barfkhana, Subzi Mandi, Delhi.
Praveen Khatoon was paid Rs 50,000, out of which Rs 30,000 was given to Madhu, Rs 4,000 to Satish, and Rs 6,000 to Santosh.
After accused Madhu Singh handed over the custody of the child, the police nabbed all accused people and recovered the said amount from their possession, the press release adds.
An First Information Report (FIR) was registered on Sunday at the Subzi Mandi police station, under sections 370 (trafficking) with 34 (common intention) of the Indian Penal Code and section 81 of the Juvenile Justice Act.
During interrogation, it was revealed that 45-year-old Praveen Khatoon and 35-year-old Satish were operating the ring and used to look for people intending to buy children for money. Both have been found to be involved in a rape case registered at Loni's Tila Mod in Ghaziabad as well.
During investigation, mobile phones of Khatoon and Satish were analysed and several photographs of minor children were found in their mobile phones, the police said.
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