Child trafficking mastermind ran orphanage that was shut last year in Nagpur

NAGPUR: Salamullah Khan, 62, the alleged mastermind in a child trafficking case being investigated by the crime branch, owned an aided orphanage at Kondhali which was shut by the authorities last year after his role in an illegal adoption racket came to fore.

Khan, who has been arrested along with two nurses and a 55-year-old woman, was booked in yet another case registered at Kotwali police station last year. The latest offence was registered at Sitabuldi police station following action by crime branch’s anti-human trafficking (AHT) unit.

Sources stated that Khan, who provided a 12-day-old baby to the elderly woman for Rs three lakh three years ago, is refusing to cooperate with police in the custody. “Khan is claiming that his memory is failing and hence cannot recall from whom he had bought the baby,” said a police source.

It’s learnt, there were three children at Patel Bahuuddeshiya Sanstha’s orphanage run by Khan at Kondhali when he was booked for trafficking last year. The women and child development department had shut the place and shifted the children elsewhere.

In the latest case, police stated that Khan was introduced to the elderly woman by the two nurses who worked at a big hospital in Dhantoli. The woman used to visit the hospital for treatment to conceive at an advanced age.

DCP (crime) Chinmay Pandit said Khan is misleading the investigating team. “We will adopt fresh approach for interrogating Khan to know more about his role in the trafficking racket,” he said.

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