Nagpur: In a bizarre incident putting humanity to shame, a relative allegedly sold a 16-year old rape victim’s two-month old daughter for Rs 90,000. The relative indulged in the shameful act on the pretext of giving the infant in adoption. Fortunately, the baby, sold on Tuesday (September 21), was traced by Kotwali police on Thursday after a frantic search, according to a report in local media.
The media report said that the police acted swiftly soon after receiving a complaint filed by the Women and Child Development Department on Wednesday evening. According to report, the rape survivor’s relative had signed an adoption agreement on a Rs 100 stamp paper with the family which paid for the baby. The baby changed several hands through agents, part of a chain of illegal adoption racketeers and human traffickers, before being handed over to the family which made the payment.
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An official of the Women and Child Development Department said that adoption without following the due formalities is illegal. The report further said that any exchange of money for adoption done through dubious manner is an offence and labelled as human trafficking in Indian Penal Code (IPC), asserted the official. He stated that he had alerted the District Child Protection Unit counsellor after receiving information about the sale of the baby.
After informing district women and child development officer, the counsellor was sent to record statement of the rape survivor whose baby was allegedly sold off, the official said.
According to the report, the counsellor recorded the statement of the rape victim who disclosed that her baby was sold by the relative for Rs 90,000.
Subsequently, the Women and Child Development Department has asked the cops to rescue the mother-daughter duo and shift them to some government facility. Sources informed that the baby was ‘sold’ to a couple at Chhapru Nagar and the cash was handed over to the rape victim’s relative at Nari in Jaripatka, the report said.
Notably, the minor girl was found six-month pregnant in May this year, leading to a case being registered at Kotwali Police Station against a 16-year old neighbour. The minor had given birth to a girl in July. The rape victim stays with as her father died and the mother deserted her.
According to sources, the rape victim wanted to keep the baby but the relative with whom she stays, insisted on giving away the baby for adoption, the media report said adding the relative had earlier tried to get the minor married off in Gujarat. But she was sent back to Nagpur due to her tender age.
