Jalpaiguri child trafficking case: Accused officers sent to six-days police custody
A court in Jalpaiguri has given the police six days to interrogate Darjeeling's District Child Protection Officer Mrinal Ghosh and Child Welfare Committee member Dr Debashish Chandra in connection with the baby selling racket in West Bengal.
The two were arrested on Friday night for their alleged involvement in the racket in which a BJP leader, Juhi Choudhury has been arrested along with three others, including the main accused Chandana Chakraborty, whom Juhi Choudhury had allegedly helped get clearances and grants for her NGO. The case is being investigated by the state's Criminal Investigation Department.
The CID has been questioning Mrinal Ghosh's wife, Shasmita, who is the district child protection officer for Jalpaiguri district in north Bengal. Ms Ghosh has already been asked to explain if she has failed in her duty but she has denied that charge.
The two accused are not government employees but were appointed by the district administration on a contractual basis for one or two years to head the district child protection unit.
The district child protection officer is also responsible for child tracking system at the district level to prevent trafficking of children. The police suspect that Mrinal Ghosh has a role in allowing the NGO headed by Chandana Chakraborty, who was arrested on February 21, to sell babies and avoid detection.
The investigation in the case began after babies were found being trafficked in biscuit boxes in Baduria in North 24 Parganas last year. The CID had received a complaint from the Central Adoption Resource Authority (CARA), a statutory body under the Union Ministry of Women and Child Development, about "irregularities" in three homes run by Chandana Chakraborty in Jalpaiguri in January. Police suspect at least seventeen babies have been sold by Chandana Chakraborty and her associates involved in the crime.