CB-CID to probe child trafficking cases

14 newborns sold to couples across the State; 8 persons held

Director General of Police T.K. Rajendran on Monday issued orders to the Crime Branch Central Investigation Department (CB CID) to probe child trafficking cases in Government Hospital, Rasipuram and Kolli hills hamlets in Namakkal district.

A recorded conversation between a retired nursing assistant, R. Amuthavalli, 50, of Valliyammal Nagar in Rasipuram with an unidentified man posing as a buyer went viral on social media.

Subsequently, Deputy Director of Health Services K. Ramesh Kumar lodged a complaint with the All Women Police Station at Rasipuram to probe the child trafficking racket.

The police picked up Amuthavalli, who had served in hospitals at Salem, Pallipalayam, Tiruchengodu and Velur, before joining the Government Hospital at Rasipuram.

She had taken voluntary retirement in 2012. Her husband S. Ravichandran, 54, an office assistant at the cooperative bank at Rasipuram, and Murugesan, an ambulance driver, were among the eight persons arrested so far.

All Women Police, Rasipuram registered a case under Sections 370 (2) (4) (trafficking of minor), 420 (cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property), 471 (using as genuine a forged document), 109 (abetment if the act abetted is committed in consequence) of IPC and Sections 80 (person receives a child without following the procedures) and 81 (person who sells or buys a child for any purpose) of Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection) Act, 2015.

The Namakkal police have found the gang has sold 14 newborns to couples in various parts of the State. Following recommendation from Superintendent of Police for Namakkal Ara.Arularasu, the case was transferred to CB-CID for further investigation, said a release from DGP office.