Baby girl kidnapping: Arrested accused completed another illegal deal; buyer held

The revelation has led the police to suspect that the accused might have similarly arranged more illegal adoptions in the past, and he is being interrogated accordingly.

Mumbai: Santosh Dhumale, the man arrested for the alleged kidnapping of a 71-day-old girl, had facilitated another illegal adoption of a baby girl on the same day as the abduction, investigations have revealed. The police have arrested Bhimshappa Shanivar, 45, who had illegally “bought” the child from Dhumale.

“Dhumale, in his interrogation, revealed that he had arranged another illegal adoption of a two-month-old baby girl, and handed her over to the 45-year-old Sion resident on Tuesday morning,” said assistant commissioner of police Milind Khetle, Azad Maidan division.

He added that the girl was taken from her biological mother with her consent and paid her ?90,000, while Dhumale received ?3 lakh for the job.

“The girl is currently in a shelter home for children and we are trying to trace her biological mother so that we can make inquiries with her as well,” Khetle said.

Shanivar has been charged with the trafficking of a minor under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code and relevant sections of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015.

The revelation has led the police to suspect that Dhumale might have similarly arranged more illegal adoptions in the past, and he is being interrogated accordingly.

“Our priority at this moment is to find out whether any other girls were similarly sold to those wanting to adopt while circumventing the legal process. We are also trying to find out whether there are any more persons involved in this racket,” said an officer who is part of the investigation.

The police had on Wednesday arrested Mohammed Hanif Memon (46) and his wife Afreen (39) for allegedly kidnapping the 71-day-old girl while she was sleeping next to her parents on a pavement near St Xavier’s college in South Mumbai late on Tuesday night. Her parents approached the police the next morning and the accused were arrested within 12 hours of the crime following a city-wide operation.

Based on their interrogation, the police went on to arrest Santosh Dhumale (30), after it came to light that he had offered ?60,000 to Hanif and Afreen for arranging a baby girl.