Interstate child trafficking racket: Key accused gets bail

Six children were rescued by police in July from six couples, who had allegedly bought the children from the accused.

A sessions court in Mumbai has granted bail to the key accused in an interstate child trafficking racket. Pawan Kumar Sharma (42) was arrested from Delhi on August 22 by the Mumbai Police Crime Branch, which claims him to be at the centre of the racket, connecting other accused, including surrogate mothers, nurses, biological parents who allegedly sold their children and couples who allegedly purchased them.

Claiming innocence, Sharma, in his bail plea, said he was never involved in the alleged trafficking. He also claimed that the children were given in adoption as per the rules. It was also argued that the children rescued by the police were being ‘properly maintained’ and the persons who ‘adopted’ them were also granted bail by the court. “After adoption, the adoptive parents were taking proper care of the children. The children have been admitted in the school. As the children are rescued and now they are in proper custody…the further detention of the applicant in the case is not required,” the sessions court said earlier this month. The court added that the apprehension raised by the police regarding tampering of evidence by Sharma can be dealt with by imposing stringent conditions.

Opposing Sharma’s bail, police had claimed that Sharma, who ran two fertility clinics, had sold newborn babies with the help of colleagues, who are still absconding. The police also claimed that biological parents of some of the children were yet to be traced. Other co-accused, including the adoptive parents, were granted bail earlier by the sessions court.

Six children were rescued by police in July from six couples, who had allegedly bought the children from the accused. The children, aged between 18 months and seven years, are in the custody of an adoption centre in Mankhurd. The Child Welfare Committee had refused to grant custody to the adoptive parents, stating such instances of trafficking are ‘rampantly increasing’. A writ petition filed by adoptive parents seeking custody of the children is currently pending before the Bombay High Court.