Nagpur: Two-week-old baby forcibly sold, two women arrested

Another case has come to light in the chain of baby-selling rackets that has rocked the entire state. In a recent case, a two-week-old baby of a widowed labourer in Nagpur was forcibly sold. An offence has been registered in the matter against two women identified as Rekha Pujari and Munnibai Lillare. The crime branch is investigating the case thoroughly.

The 30-year-old widow has three children. Her husband, who had come for work to the city from Balaghat, died in 2018, and she was living with her relatives thereafter. The woman was exploited by youth in her parent’s home town of Rajnandgaon. After which she became pregnant but still used to go to work. During that time, she met Munnibai, who also used to go to work there.

The woman narrated her ordeal to Munnibai, who claimed that she would bear all the expenses of her delivery and later give the baby to a needy person. In the ninth month of pregnancy, Munnibai took the woman to the home of Rekha in Nirmal Colony, Jaripatka. The woman was first shifted to New Life Nursing Home in Koradi, then Mulik Hospital in Dhantoli, Daga Hospital, and finally she delivered the baby at Mayo Hospital.

On March 2, the woman gave birth to a baby boy who suffered a shoulder injury during delivery. So he was kept in the intensive care unit. Both accused then took the woman and her baby to Rekha's house.

Four to five days after Holi, both accused came and told the woman that they would take the baby for a medical examination of his shoulder. However, the accused sold the baby. The woman got angry after hearing that her baby was sold. However, the duo told her that the boy has gone to a good home, and if she files a complaint, it will not be good for her. However, the woman later filed a complaint with the Jaripatka police station.

According to the complainant, another woman like her was brought to Rekha's house. She was also pregnant, and Rekha was bearing all her expenses.