7-day-old baby sold for Rs 1.5 lakh, 2 arrested

The police arrested a eunuch and her partner for attempting to sell a seven-day-old baby boy for Rs 1.5 lakh in Sector 57. The accused who sold the child had lodged a complaint of kidnapping to mislead the police, but they were arrested and the child was rescued.

According to the police, a eunuch residing in a slum near Saraswati Kunj had lodged a complaint claiming that she had adopted a newborn baby boy from her neighbour Phulo Devi on August 18. She alleged that on August 24, she handed the baby over to her neighbour, Kajal, before leaving hime. Upon her return, Kajal claimed the infant had been kidnapped by an unknown person and that her mobile phone had also been stolen.

The police swung into action and arrested two accused from Wazirbad’s Dhani within just nine hours. The police recovered the newborn baby and the stolen mobile from the possession of the accused. The accused were identified as Layak Sheikh (28), a native of west Bengal and eunuch Kajal, a native of Bihar.

During interrogation, it was revealed that the alleged kidnapping was, in fact, a pre-planned conspiracy. Investigators found that Sheikh, who has been living in the area for five years, was desperate for a child.

He had struck a deal with Kajal, offering between Rs 1 lakh and Rs 1.5 lakh in exchange for a baby. Kajal then took advantage of the situation by handing over the newborn that had been adopted by her fellow eunuch. Sheikh reportedly wrapped the infant in a blanket and took him away.

“A swift operation by the police foiled the conspiracy. Both accused were arrested, the child was safely recovered, and handed back to the complainant,” a Gurugram Police spokesperson said. — OC