Mumbai:
Three days after Mid-Day's sting operation to uncover the baby-selling racket flourishing in Ulhasnagar, the police has arrested the kingpins of the racket along with the parents of the child that was 'sold' to our undercover reporters on Thursday night.
The evidence (video CD of the operation) was submitted to the Hill Line police, who registered an FIR and arrested mastermind Vijaya Sadashiv Sonawne, 44; her associate Ratna Prahlad Ubale, 35; the child's mother Babli Pradhan, 25; and father Pradhan Ramkisan Kanujiya,35, under Sections 317 and 34 (conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code and Section 23 of the Juvenile Justice Act, 2,000.
"All four have been arrested. We have taken them for medical examination and they will be produced before the magistrate at Chopda court tomorrow in Ulhasnagar," said Inspector Ravindra Mhatre. The expose caught the attention of the Ministry of Child and Women Development, the Child Welfare Committee, and the District Women and Children Department (DWCD), which dispatched several letters to the local police seeking prompt action in the case.
A special team has been formed to investigate the matter. The child that our undercover scribes acquired for Rs 2.3 lakh, bypassing all legal procedures, has been handed over to a Nerul-based orphanage and is in sound health. Senior Inspector Narendra Jadhav said, "The baby will remain in the orphanage. It will not be handed over to his parents as they cannot be trusted."
Officials speakSG Khandagale, superintendent of the orphanage where Sonawne was employed, said, "As soon as the report was out, we suspended Sonawne. We received the letter from the DWCD, which was forwarded to the local police station. We have also demanded police inquiry into the matter." DWCD officer Shashikant Chavan said, "We have sought police action in the matter and asked them to submit their final report. If we find the involvement of any other employee, we will take action against them."