NEW DELHI: The Delhi Police has arrested a 38-year-old man from Kolkata in connection with a case of trafficking newborns, officials said on Saturday.
The accused, identified as Sangram Dass, a resident of Delhi’s Begumpur and the key accused, was declared a proclaimed offenderwith a reward of ` 20,000 on his head.
This February, information was received at that newborns were seen with some persons residing in the Jain Nagar Extension area, a police officer said. These babies were seen in suspicious circumstances and in neglected conditions with the alleged persons.During investigation, evidence of human trafficking surfaced, following which nine persons, including five women, were arrested in the case, he added.
However, Dass, was absconding, DCP(Crime) SK Sain said.He frequently kept changing his hideouts and was finally apprehended him from Kolkata on Thursday, Sain said. During interrogation, Dass disclosed that he along with his gang members and other associates used to purchase and sell babies from Punjab and Uttar Pradesh.
Dass is a native of Odisha with a wife and two children. He came to Delhi in 2004 for a job in housekeeping and later got involved in criminal activities with his associates. They used to allegedly target poor families in need and entice them to sell their newborn babies by promising good upbringing of their children. They would also pick up newborn from hospitals, railway stations and other public places by deceiving their parents. Thereafter, the babies were looked after by the female members of the gang, so that no one would suspect them of theft until a prospective buyer or customer was found. The gang has been involved in four cases.