Newborn trafficking racket: One accused provided fake adoption papers; raids on to nab kingpins

A six-day-old baby girl, who the gang had abducted and wanted to sell, was recovered from the possession of the accused.

Mohali police on Friday said that they have so far found that a woman — who had been arrested earlier this week and subsequently found to be part of a racket that stole newborns — also provided fake adoption certificates.

Police are also probing the role of some Asha Workers in the scam as the gang could have in touch with the workers to know about the deliveries of children.

Police on Monday had arrested Manjinder Singh, and his wife Parwinder Kaur — both residents of Faridkot — and Charanbir Singh, and his wife Sakshi, both residents of Patiala, for being part of a racket that was involved in stealing and selling newborns. A six-day-old baby girl, who the gang had abducted and wanted to sell, was recovered from the possession of the accused.

On Friday, the police told The Indian Express that they have found in the course of their investigation that Sakshi was also involved in providing the fake adoption certificates. A laptop that was issued to Sakshi by Punjabi University — where she was an employee — for official work was confisticated for further probe.

Meanwhile on Friday, Punjabi University, Patiala, suspended both Sakshi and her husband Charanbir Singh. As per details Sakshi was employed at the university as a senior clerk in the Performing and Visual Arts department. Charanbir too worked as a clerk in the university on a adhoc basis.

Parvinder Kaur alias Sakshi got selected in the university in 2010 thereafter she was posted in establishment branch, then she was transferred to the office of Dean student welfare. She joined the Department of Dean (Students Welfare) as clerk and got promoted as senior assistant. In October 2021 she was transferred to the 5 year integrated programme of visual arts.

“We are also on the lookout for a woman from Sector 69 in Mohali with whom the accused were in touch. More arrests are likely to follow,” an officer added.

Police officers investigating the case said that so far they had found that Sakshi was very active on social media and used to attend reality shows and beauty contests. In 2021, she had also been invited as a guest to a beauty contest.

“We suspect that she might have contacted some of her clients on social media. The accused’s laptop has been seized and sent for the forensics investigation,” an officer privy to the investigation said.

The main suspects in the case, Sunny Kumar, a Mansa resident, and one Lambar Singh, were still on the run and police said that raids were being conducted to nab them.

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