Couple sells infant to doctor for ₹1 lakh, trio booked

The Ram Nagar police have booked a doctor and a couple for selling an infant for ₹1 lakh. No one has been arrested so far in the case.

The Ram Nagar police have booked a doctor and a couple for selling an infant for ₹1 lakh. No one has been arrested so far in the case.

The Ram Nagar police have booked a doctor and a couple for selling an infant for ₹1 lakh. No one has been arrested so far in the case.

The three were booked under section 80 and 81 (giving away child without proper adoption procedure) under the Juvenile Justice Act, 2015.

According to police, the doctor allegedly convinced the couple to sell their new born child and offered to pay them ₹1 lakh. The couple initially accepted the offer; however, they backed out from the deal later on, and asked the doctor to return the child, the police said.

The couple approached the Thane district department of women and child development, who registered a case with the Ram Nagar police with help of few social workers.

A police officer said, “The woman (mother of child) identified as Puja Ahire, 28, and her husband Santosh Ahire, 30, are residents of Dombivli. They met homeopathic doctor, Ketan Sony, 34, when Puja was pregnant. Sony suggested that since they are poor, they can sell their child to some needy couple, who will take better care of the baby.”

“On November 10, the woman delivered a baby boy. After that, they met the doctor and confirmed the deal of ₹1 lakh in exchange for their child. The couple handed over the baby to the doctor on November 15, near Ganpati temple of Dombivli and took the money,” the officer said.

Senior police inspector, S Sandbhor said, “The couple again approached the doctor and asked him to return their child. However, the couple had used half of the amount. The doctor refused to return the baby, after which, the family approached the social workers and district women and child development department. We have booked all three of them and further investigation is on.”

Dr Pallavi Jadhav, district women and child development department officer, along with other social workers helped the family get the baby. A police officer said, “We are checking all documents to investigate the allegation made by family and social workers. We are also probing if the doctor was involved in any of such dealings earlier.”