Child Trafficking Racket Busted In Mumbai, Doctor Among 7 Arrested: Cops

The Mumbai police have busted a child trafficking racket and arrested a doctor and six others involved in selling an infant and a toddler, an official said on Sunday.

The crime branch on Saturday arrested the accused, Dr Sopanrao Khandare, Vanadana Amit Pawar (28), Sheetal Ganesh Vare (41), Sneha Suryavanshi (24), Naseema Haneef Khan (28), Lata Survaade (36) and Sharad Maruti Devar (45), the official said.

The police had received a tip-off that Vare, a resident of Vikhroli, had allegedly sold a five-month-old baby for Rs 2 lakh, he said.

Vare was apprehended from Govandi, following which the police arrested Dr Khandare, who allegedly helped her sell the infant, the official said.

The baby was later rescued from Guhagar in Ratnagiri, he said.

Investigations revealed that the accused had also sold a two-year-old girl, and she has also been rescued, the official said.

The gang was also allegedly involved in trafficking children in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, he said.

A case has been registered under the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act and Indian Penal Code, the official said.

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