Doc’s wife also part of racket

Mumbai: The Kolhapur police has arrested the wife of homeopath, Dr Arun Bhupal Patil (55), who was arrested Tuesday on charges of selling infants to childless couples. The police said that the wife, Ujjwala, too, was involved in the child trafficking racket.

The couple sold newborns delivered at Dr Patil’s hospital by rape victims and minors for Rs 8 lakh to Rs 10 lakh, depending on their gender.A Mumbai-based couple which purchased a baby from the doctor has also been called in for questioning, said the additional superintendent of police.

Dr Dinesh Bari, additional superintendent of police (Kolhapur), said, “After interrogation, his wife’s role was also established. We recovered photographs in which his wife is clearly visible giving babies to couples. His wife was an active accomplice where she took care of the vulnerable mothers and later brainwashed them into giving away their children for a handsome price. The couple then sold the babies for Rs 8 lakh to Rs 10 lakh.”

Shockingly, Dr Patil, initially said that he was doing a social service by helping childless couples to feel parenthood. “My wife and I are not doing anything wrong or illegal. We are helping childless couples,” was his initial statement according to the police. The statement further read, “The babies were born to women who did not want children but approached us at a stage of their pregnancy when abortion was impossible.”

A case has been registered with Shivaji Nagar police station under sections 370, 317, 176 and 34 of the IPC.