The CBI logo.
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New Delhi: CBI on Saturday said it has unearthed a racket involved in selling infants to childless couples using social media advertisements with the arrest of seven persons and rescue of three children, including a newborn just one-and-a-half day old.
The investigators conducted searches at seven locations across Delhi and neighbouring Haryana on Friday after a tip-off on the network of child traffickers involved in buying and selling of infants across India.
Two male infants - a one-and-a-half day old and a 15 days-old - and a one month-old girl have also been rescued. Investigators have also seized Rs 5.5 lakh in cash besides some documents.
The searches came after the CBI registered a case under various provisions of the Indian Penal Code IPC and also of Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015 against ten accused on allegations that a network of infant children traffickers are involved in buying and selling of infants across India for the purpose of adoption as well as for other illegal purposes.
The accused "through advertisement on social media platforms like Facebook page and WhatsApp groups get connected with the childless couples across India who are desirous to adopt babies," CBI said in a statement.
They allegedly bought babies from real parents as well as surrogate mothers and thereafter sold the infants at prices ranging from Rs 4-6 lakh each. The accused are also allegedly involved in duping many childless couples of lakhs of rupees by creating fake documents related to adoption.
The seven arrested have been identified as Neeraj from Haryana and Indu Pawar, Aslam, Pooja Kashyap, Ritu, Anjali and Kavita, all residents of Delhi.