CHENNAI: Vepery police stumbled upon a child trafficking racket, while investigating the alleged abduction of a child from a woman in the heart of the city. On Wednesday, one Farheen* of Kilpauk lodged a complaint alleging a woman named Thanam had stolen her newborn child with the help of two others. Police swung into action, but it didn't take long for them to find out that this was no simple case of child abduction.
Investigations revealed that Farheen had actually sold her newborn for a sum (not disclosed by the police). Farheen and her husband, Mohan, had separated in May this year when she was five months pregnant. They had married in 2010 and also have a 10-year-old daughter.
After her husband left them, Farheen confided to her friend Jayageetha that she was planning for an abortion. However, Jayageetha, a resident of Ennore Tsunami quarters, told her that she could make money if she sold the baby. Agreeing to this, Farheen delivered the baby on November 21 at a private hospital.
Three days later, she allegedly sold it to Thanam, also a resident of Ennore Tsunami quarters, and an aide of Jayageetha. The exchange of the baby and cash allegedly took place at Purasawalkam on Wednesday, after Farheen signed an agreement.
After selling the baby, Farheen, along with her daughter and the cash, was on her way to her house at Kilpauk. At Pulianthope, two men stopped the auto she was travelling in, on the pretext of asking for directions from the auto driver and robbed Farheen, police said.
(* Name changed)