Woman gives up infant to trans person, child abducted by another in Gurugram

Police clarified that this was an informal handover and that the transgendered person was to begin the legal adoption process later.

A newborn boy given up for adoption by his mother to a transgendered person in Gurugram’s Sector 53 was kidnapped by another transgendered person for trafficking and rescued within nine hours, police said on Monday.

After the child was rescued, police handed him back to his mother at the police station, but she immediately gave him back to the trans person in the presence of officers (File photo)

Investigators said that two suspects, Kajal, 26, a transgendered person from Manjholia in Bihar’s Siwan, and Layak Sheikh, 28, of Kulbaria in Murshidabad, West Bengal, were arrested on Sunday evening. The child was recovered from Sheikh’s residence in Wazirabad Dhani, Sector 53.

According to police, Sheikh and his wife, who did not have children, had agreed to pay ₹1.5 lakh for an infant. Sheikh had contacted Kajal to arrange one.

Sandeep Kumar, public relations officer of Gurugram police, said the child belonged to Phulo Devi, 29, from Katihar, Bihar, who lived in Saraswati Kunj, Sector 53. “She already had six children. The husband had left her. She was in a live-in relationship with a man from whom she got pregnant,” Kumar said, adding that her partner later abandoned her.

Police said that Bhavna, 25, another transgendered person living in the same locality, had helped the woman financially and suggested giving the newborn up for adoption. On August 18, Phulo Devi delivered the baby at a private hospital and handed him over to Bhavna due to financial distress.

On Saturday night, Bhavna went out for work and left the infant in Kajal’s care. Kajal, already in touch with Sheikh, seized the opportunity and called him around 3.30am on Sunday to take the baby.

When Bhavna returned, Kajal allegedly concocted a story that someone had broken into their house, stolen their mobile phone, and taken the baby while they were asleep. Bhavna then alerted the police control room.

Police clarified that this was an informal handover and that Bhavna was to begin the legal adoption process later. After the child was rescued, police handed him back to his mother at the police station, but she immediately gave him back to Bhavna in the presence of officers.

Police teams launched an investigation, during which Kajal’s involvement surfaced. They were interrogated, leading to the arrest of Sheikh and recovery of the child.

On Bhavna’s complaint, an FIR was registered at Sector 53 police station under sections 137(2) (kidnapping from lawful guardianship) and 61(2) (criminal conspiracy) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).