Indian Baby kidnapped & sold for Rs. 1 Lakh

A police investigation is underway after officers rescued an eight-month-old baby, who had allegedly been sold to a childless couple for Rs. 1 Lakh (£1,000).

The incident happened in Moga, Punjab, and police rescued the child on December 5, 2021.

According to police, the baby had been kidnapped from Moga Civil Hospital on December 4, 2021, by the suspect, who then sold the baby to a childless couple from Faridkot, Punjab.

The suspect has been identified as a 24-year-old man named Vishal.

While the accused has been identified, police are yet to arrest him.

However, they were able to trace the couple who had bought the baby. They travelled to Faridkot and rescued him.

Moga Jashandeep Singh Gill explained that the eight-month-old child was kidnapped from the maternity ward of Moga Civil Hospital.

The baby was at the hospital because his mother had been admitted for a minor procedure.

The baby’s father and grandparents looked after him as they waited. A short while later, Vishal approached them and offered to babysit the infant as he was crying constantly.

They accepted but when the father left to get some water, Vishal grabbed the child and fled.

DSP Gill went on to say that Vishal was an employee at the IVF centre of Rajiv Hospital where a childless couple was undergoing treatment.

Vishal told them that he could arrange a child for them in exchange for money.

They eventually agreed on a Rs. 1 Lakh fee.

Police said that so far, the couple had paid around Rs. 70,000 (£700).

On the day of the abduction, Vishal called the couple to meet him in Moga so that he could hand over the child to them.

DSP Gill said that according to Jalanda Singh, who had bought the child from Vishal, he and his wife did not know that the baby had been kidnapped.

DSP Gill elaborated: “As per Jalanda, he was told by Vishal that the child was his nephew (sister’s son) and they wanted to give him away for adoption as his sister was having a matrimonial dispute.

“However, he had asked for money for some financial help, Jalanda Singh has claimed.

“We will be able to determine the facts in the case only after Vishal’s arrest and interrogation.”

Police handed over the child to his parents on December 5, 2021. They are currently working to locate and arrest Vishal.