Nagpur: Kin sells rape survivor's infant for Rs 90,000

NAGPUR: A 16-year-old rape survivor’s two-month-old

daughter was allegedly sold off for Rs90,000 by a relative, on

the pretext of giving her in adoption. The baby, sold on

Tuesday, was traced by cops from Kotwali police station on

Thursday following day-long effort and much drama.

The Kotwali police had swung into action after a complaint

was filed by the women and child development department

on Wednesday evening. The rape survivor’s kin learnt to have

signed an ‘adoption’ agreement on a Rs100 stamp paper

with the family which paid for the baby. It’s learnt the baby

changed several hands through agents, part of a chain of

illegal adoption racketeers and human traffickers, before

being handed over to the family which made the payment

District child protection officer Mushtak said

adoption without following formalities is illegal. “Any

exchange of money for adoption done through irregular

mechanism is an offence and labelled as human trafficking

in Indian Penal Code ( ),” said Pathan. He had alerted

district child protection unit counsellor Arun after

receiving information about the sale of the baby. “After

informing district women and child development officer

( ), the counsellor was sent to record statement

of the rape survivor whose baby was allegedly sold off,” he

said.

recorded the statement of the rape

survivor, who reported that the relative sold off her baby for

Rs90,000. The women and child development department

has now asked cops to ‘rescue’ the mother-daughter duo

and shift them to some government facility.

Shukla had rushed to Kotwali police station to lodge a

complaint, but red-tapism delayed action on Wednesday.

Sources said the baby was handed over to a couple at

Chhapru Nagar and cash was handed over to the rape

survivor’s kin at in .

The minor had been diagnosed six-month pregnant in May,

leading to an offence of rape being registered at Kotwali

police station against a 16-year-old neighbour. The minor

had given birth to a girl at the end of July.

The minor rape survivor resides with the relative as she lost

her father early and her mother had abandoned her. Sources

close to the rape survivor’s family said the minor wanted to

retain the baby, but the relative with whom she stays

insisted on giving away the baby for adoption.

Sources said the rape survivor’s relative had delivered the

baby to a woman, whose cellphone was switched off as soon

as she realized police were searching for the baby.

Family sources said the relative had earlier even tried to get

the minor married off in Gujarat, but she was sent back due

to her tender age.

Senior police inspector Mukund Thakre of Kotwali police

station said the relative who sold the baby after executing an

agreement on stamp paper is with the police. The process of

registering an offence is on. “As the baby has been traced

now, the culprits would be booked after legal consultation,”

he said.