Drug addict ‘sells’ newborn to childless couple, wife approaches Ludhiana police for boy’s custody

Nawanshahr couple approaches local deputy commissioner, who has marked an inquiry into the matter

The Nawanshahr deputy commissioner (DC) has marked an inquiry into a Ludhiana man allegedly selling his newborn son to a Nawanshahr couple.

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The inquiry was marked to the district child welfare officer after the couple appeared before the DC, as the boy’s mother has been seeking that the child be returned to her.

The child’s mother, a resident of Machhiwara Bet, had delivered the boy in January.

She alleged that in February, her husband sold the newborn through a neighbour woman to the Nawanshahr couple that had no child after 14 years of marriage.

Three months later, the woman approached the Macchiwara police in Ludhiana, demanding that her son be returned to her.

She alleged that they had received Rs 20,000 for giving the couple her son, but her husband spent the money on drugs.

The woman said she had talked to the couple over phone and requested them to return the newborn. But they were demanding Rs 50,000 in cash to do so.

A former sarpanch of their village offered to pay the amount, but the couple had now stopped responding, she alleged.

Inspector Sukhvir Singh, SHO, Machhiwara police station, said the woman had filed a complaint to get the custody of her son. They had summoned the family that had adopted her son, but they did not appear before them and instead approached the Nawanshahr DC.

The SHO said they were investigating the cash transactions between the families.