In a chilling case of child trafficking, the Dharavi police rescued a 1.5-year-old boy who was sold by his father for ₹1 lakh and later flipped to a Tamil Nadu couple for ₹4.8 lakh.
- A 1.5-year-old boy was sold by his biological father for ₹1 lakh.
- The child was subsequently resold to a couple in Tamil Nadu for ₹4.8 lakh.
- Nine individuals have been arrested in connection with this trafficking racket.
The Dharavi police have dismantled a disturbing child-selling network after rescuing a toddler who had been treated as a commodity. The case surfaced on August 8, when the child's uncle, Sunny Singh, reported the boy missing from Sion Hospital. The family had previously claimed the child was receiving treatment for a head injury, a story that served as a cover for the crime.
Investigations revealed that the biological father, Sandip Singh, admitted to selling his son for ₹1 lakh, citing unemployment and financial distress. The operation was facilitated by Shabnam Khan alias Rani, who acted as the primary conduit between the desperate father and potential buyers.
Why This Matters
BozokMedia analysis shows a systemic failure in the regulation of informal adoption networks. The fact that the middleman, Shabnam Khan, utilized contacts from her previous employment at IVF centers suggests a dangerous intersection between medical professional networks and illegal trafficking. This indicates that child trafficking is no longer just a rural issue but has deeply penetrated urban healthcare ecosystems.
Under the leadership of DCP Mahindra Pandit and Senior PI Uday Soyaskar, the police arrested several accomplices, including Priya Borade, Akash Borade, and Deepak More. The child was transported from Mumbai to Tamil Nadu, where the price tag jumped from ₹1 lakh to ₹4.8 lakh upon sale to a couple.
"The commodification of children through illicit adoption channels highlights a critical need for stricter oversight of IVF and fertility clinic employee backgrounds."
The rescued toddler has been handed over to the Child Welfare Committee (CWC) for care and protection. Police are currently expanding the probe to identify other victims and collaborators in this interstate racket.
Q1: How did the police discover the crime?
The discovery was made after the child's uncle found the boy missing from Sion Hospital and filed a police complaint.
Q2: Who were the key intermediaries in this case?
Shabnam Khan (alias Rani) was the main link, using her former IVF center contacts to find buyers.
