Child trafficking racket: 42-yr-old key accused arrested from Delhi

On the run since July when the racket was busted, Pawan Kumar Sharma (42) was arrested from the national capital on Thursday, DCP Akbar Pathan said

A key accused in the inter-state child trafficking racket was arrested by the Mumbai Police Crime Branch from Delhi and brought to Mumbai on Friday.

On the run since July when the racket was busted, Pawan Kumar Sharma (42) was arrested from the national capital on Thursday, DCP Akbar Pathan said. He added that Sharma was sent to police custody till August 28 by a local court after he was brought to Mumbai on Friday.

According to police, Sharma ran fertility centres in Delhi and Bengaluru and had been at the centre of the racket, connecting other accused, including surrogate mothers, nurses, the biological parents who allegedly sold their children, and couples who allegedly purchased them.

“He was well acquainted with the supply and demand (for children) owing to the waiting period for adoption of children. Through other co-accused, Sharma managed to get in touch with women who had been surrogates and lured them into the racket. He also had access to childless couples,” a senior police officer probing the case said.