Mumbai's Matunga police have dismantled an interstate child trafficking racket and arrested nine individuals, including eight women, from Mumbai, Gujarat, and Karnataka. A four-month-old girl, sold in Karnataka, was rescued as part of the operation. Police have revealed the involvement of a doctor and a nurse from Karnataka, who are likely to be arrested soon. According to a senior police official, the rescued infant had been sold to a couple in Karwar, Karnataka, for ₹5 lakh.
Arrested Individuals
The arrested individuals have been identified as Sulochana Suresh Kamble (45), Meera Rajaram Yadav (40), Yogesh Bhoir (37), Roshni Ghosh (34), Sandhya Rajput (48), Madina alias Munni Imam Chavan (44), Tainaz Shaheen Chauhan (19), Baby Moinuddin Tamboli (50), and Manisha Sunny Yadav (32). Manisha Yadav, the biological mother of the rescued child, was among those arrested.
The accused, hailing from areas like Dadar, Diva, Kalyan, Vadodara, Karwar, and Miraj, were involved in matchmaking services, patient care, and hospital housekeeping. The complaint was filed by the infant's grandmother, a resident of Sion-Mahim Link Road, who alleged that her daughter-in-law had sold the child in Bengaluru. She reported the matter to Matunga Police on December 11.
Details of the Operation
Following the complaint, police registered a case and detained Manisha Yadav for questioning. During interrogation, she confessed to selling her child in Karnataka with the assistance of Madina alias Munni and Tainaz from Vadodara. Manisha revealed that she received ₹1 lakh for the sale.
A team of police officers from Matunga and other stations, under the guidance of DCP Ragasudha R., was formed to investigate the case. The team apprehended eight women and one man from Vadodara, Thane, Mumbai, Diva Kalyan, and Karnataka. During interrogation, the accused disclosed that the child had been sold to a couple in Karwar for ₹5 lakh. While ₹1 lakh was given to the mother, other members of the racket received amounts ranging from ₹10,000 to ₹15,000.
Doctor and Nurse Under Scrutiny
Police investigations revealed that the racket involved a gynecologist and a nurse from Karwar. The rescued child has been taken into police custody, and authorities suspect the gang might have trafficked five to six children in total.
Legal Proceedings
The arrested individuals were presented before the Bhoiwada Court and remanded to police custody until December 19. The police have assured that further arrests, including those of the doctor and nurse, are imminent as the investigation progresses.