Police on Monday recovered the newborn boy stolen from the gynaecology ward of Shaheed Nirmal Mahto Medical College and Hospital (SNMMCH) in Dhanbad within 24 hours and arrested four people, with the FIR revealing that the offence was part of a pre-planned conspiracy involving monetary transactions, officials familiar with the matter said on Monday.
According to the FIR (first information report), registered at the Saraidhela police station under section 97 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) based on a written complaint by hospital authorities, the theft took place on the night of December 27, when a woman posing as staff allegedly took away the newborn boy from the maternity ward and exited the premises through another gate.
Addressing a press conference on Tuesday, Ritwik Srivastava, Dhanbad City SP, said, “Immediately after the information was received, multiple teams were formed. CCTV footage from the hospital and surrounding areas was analysed, and suspects were identified.”
“The baby has been recovered safely and handed over to the mother. All four accused have been arrested. The investigation clearly suggests a pre-planned act, and further questioning is underway to ascertain whether there are wider links,” Srivastava added.
According to the FIR, the conspiracy came to light during the investigation when it emerged that Abhilasha Singh, wife of Kaushal Kumar Singh, a resident of New Puli Quarter No. 19, B-Type, under Bhuli OP, needed a baby boy for her maternal aunt, Rajkumari Devi. To fulfil this requirement, Abhilasha allegedly made contact with intermediaries and hospital-linked sources days before the incident.
{{/usCountry}}According to the FIR, the conspiracy came to light during the investigation when it emerged that Abhilasha Singh, wife of Kaushal Kumar Singh, a resident of New Puli Quarter No. 19, B-Type, under Bhuli OP, needed a baby boy for her maternal aunt, Rajkumari Devi. To fulfil this requirement, Abhilasha allegedly made contact with intermediaries and hospital-linked sources days before the incident.
{{/usCountry}}The FIR further stated that on December 18, Abhilasha visited SNMMCH and came in contact with Ishtiyak Ansari, son of Md Ismail Ansari, a resident of Rakitpur under Baliapur police station, and Hasimuddin Ansari, son of Ajimuddin Ansari, a resident of Barwa Purba under Govindpur police station.
“A deal was allegedly finalised for ₹3 lakh to procure a newborn boy. ₹80,000 was transferred online, while a cheque of ₹70,000 was handed over to Hasimuddin Ansari. Kaushal Kumar Singh, son of Bijendra Kumar Singh, also a resident of New Puli Quarter No. 19, Bhuli OP, allegedly financed the operation and played an active role in its execution,” an official said, quoting the FIR.
“Police recovered the newborn during raids and handed the child back to the parents on December 29. A white Swift car used in the crime, a mobile phone, and the ₹70,000 cheque were also seized,” the official added.
Meanwhile, Dhanbad SSP Prabhat Kumar visited SNMMCH on Monday, met the child’s parents, and reviewed hospital security arrangements. He directed hospital authorities to strengthen access control, surveillance, and monitoring of visitors, assuring that a comprehensive security audit would be carried out to prevent any recurrence, the official said.