Navi Mumbai: Couple held 2 years after 'selling' their newborns

NAVI MUMBAI: The Nerul Police have arrested a husband-wife duo staying on the pavement outside Nerul railway station for allegedly selling their two newborn girls to two women for Rs 90,000 each in 2019. A complaint was lodged on Wednesday after a legal officer who learnt about the "illegal" adoption alerted the police.

A police officer also said that they have learnt that the parents had similarly sold their newborn son or given him up for adoption earlier.

The two buyer women, aged 60 years and 35 residing in Belapur and Mankhurd have been made accused persons in the case for allegedly illegally adopting the newborns.

API Rajendra Ghevdekar said, "As of now, we have arrested only the accused couple for selling their newborn girls. The two women who purchased the newborns have not been arrested but served a notice due to which they will have to remain present in court when summoned."

Ghevdekar further said, "The incident came to light after the Child Protection Officer of Thane district's Women and Child Development department, Thane, lodged a complaint at Nerul police station on Wednesday. The mother of the newborns revealed the name the buyer from Belapur who had bought the infant for Rs 90,000. The mother claimed that her husband had sold the newborn to the Belapur woman as they needed money and were unable to feed their four other children.

Ghevdekar added, "The buyers were summoned to Nerul police station. The Belapur woman showed us an affidavit, stating that she had adopted the newborn, but the process is not legal as the Thane court's order is mandatory for adoption of a child."

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