The Matunga police have arrested 52-year-old Abdulkarim Dastagir Nadaf, a key figure in a child trafficking operation. Nadaf is the main accused in a baby-selling case that has shocked many. According to reports, the trafficking racket involved the sale of five infants, including a baby girl sold by 32-year-old Manisha Yadav from Dadar. Yadav had sold her daughter to secure money for her husband’s bail. The arrest of Nadaf marks the 10th arrest in this complex case, with eight others apprehended, including the parents who purchased Yadav’s baby, and various middlemen involved in the illegal trade.
Nadaf, a resident of Hukkeri in Belagavi district, Karnataka, is believed to have been running the operation for the past three years. Police disclosed that the infants were sold to childless couples across Karnataka, with some of the children being sold for up to Rs4 lakh each. The investigation has led to the arrest of several women who acted as intermediaries, persuading vulnerable mothers to part with their babies for money.
In Yadav’s case, her baby girl was sold for Rs4 lakh, but she only received Rs1.5 lakh, with the rest going to the middlemen. The police have since uncovered the trafficking of four more infants, all aged between 45 to 60 days. These babies were sold from various locations, including Gujarat, Aurangabad, and Pune.
The case continues to unfold, with further arrests expected. A team led by Deputy Commissioner of Police Ragasudha is continuing the investigation into the widespread trafficking ring.
