Delhi: Bail to childless man who paid money for infant

NEW DELHI: An infant, multiple traffickers and a childless couple– these have reflected in an order relating to the bail of a Delhi man who, along with his wife, paid money to become a parent. The infant was sold by her parents who reportedly had two disabled children and couldn’t afford to take care of her. She was trafficked by several middlepersons and eventually reached a childless couple who paid Rs 1 lakh for her.

The arrested prospective father sought bail stating that he meant well. Though granted bail, the court said that it was due to these “well-meaning” individuals that the child trafficking racket existed. “Sale and purchase of human beings as chattels is to be condemned no matter how pious the intention,” noted additional sessions judge Neelofer Abida Perveen.

A case stemming from the statement of a Delhi Women’s Commission councillor showed that the biological parents had sold their two-and-a-half-month-old daughter, who was born in May, 2020, with the help of a nurse. The couple wanted to “save her future” by giving her away to a “rich family”.

The child was sold to two women for Rs 40,000, and then sold again to someone else via a woman. Another trafficker sold her to the accused man and his wife. The infant was found at the accused’s home on August 13 when police found out that the couple had paid money to bring the child home.

In order to declare their guardianship over the child, the couple organised a family function. The counsel, who appeared for the man booked under Section 370 for “exploitation,” argued that all he wanted was to give the infant a good life as a daughter. The man and his wife had no ill-will or maleficence as they intended to legally adopt the child, it was argued. The money, the counsel added, was given on “humanitarian grounds” to the biological parents and not as a consideration for adoption.

The prosecutor pointed out the man didn’t have any previous criminal record and was no longer wanted for investigation as a chargesheet had been filed and all accused had been apprehended. Judge Perveen said, “Taking into consideration that the accused is in custody from August 13, 2020 and has clean antecedents... he is no longer required for investigation, present application is allowed and the accused is granted regular bail on furnishing a personal bond in the sum of Rs 50,000 with one surety.”

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