Saturday, Apr 20, 2024 | Last Update : 07:19 AM IST
Couple held for buying baby girl from homeopath
The police has learned that Patil had handed over another baby to a couple from Nerul, Navi Mumbai in May 2017.
Mumbai: The Kolhapur police arrested a couple from Chandrapur district for allegedly buying a newborn girl from a homeopathic doctor, Dr Arun Patil, who is currently in police custody. Patil used to allegedly sell the babies to childless couples, and officials suspect that the racket goes deeper and several childless couples are involved. The couple has been identified as Manoj Chahande (42) and Prerana (39), who were residents of Nawargaon village. They were remanded in police custody for four days. Along with the couple, a gynaecologist from Ichalkaranji, Dr S.M. Kamble, has also been detained.
According to the inspector in charge of Shivaji Nagar police station, Kolhapur S. Pawar, “The couple initially denied having bought a baby girl. After interrogation however, they revealed that they had bought the baby for Rs 5-6 lakh from Patil.”
The official said, “They also stated that Rs 2 lakh had been given as a fixed deposit in the name of the baby’s biological mother. The mother is a minor and the child was born out of wedlock. We have to cross check further financial transactions from all couples who have brought the babies from Patil.”
The police has learned that Patil had handed over another baby to a couple from Nerul, Navi Mumbai in May 2017. The couple in question told the police that they legally adopted the baby, which is being probed. The police is also searching for a transaction from this couple.
The Nerul couple had submitted some papers to the police to show that they had legally adopted the baby by completing all the formalities at the registrar’s office in Ichalkaranji. Police sources said the papers are being scrutinised. “We will confirm their validity on Monday,” said a source.
A case under has been registered under sections 370 (trafficking of persons), 176 (omission to give notice or information to public servant by person legally bound to give it) and 34 (common intention) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC); and a case under sections 75 (cruelty to child) 80 (punitive measures for adoption without following prescribed procedure), 81 (sale and procurement of children for any purpose) of the Juvenile Justice Act, 2015 was registered against
Dr Patil, his wife and the couples who allegedly bought the babies from them.
