After the arrest of a couple involved in child trafficking near Shalimar station last month, the CID has now apprehended a third individual linked to the racket. The arrested person, Saurav Adhikari, is employed at a local nursing home and is accused of aiding in the illegal trade of newborns.
Saurav, originally from Hanskhali, Nadia, was residing in a rented house in Thakurpukur, an area associated with the criminal operations. The investigation into the racket began in November when CID officials detained Manik Haldar and his wife, Mukul, outside Shalimar station for allegedly selling a child. During their interrogation, it was revealed that Manik was the mastermind behind the trafficking network. He purchased newborns from Patna and Gaya before selling them in Kolkata. The investigation also suggested that several nursing homes and IVF centers may be complicit in the illegal activities.
According to CID sources, Saurav met Manik about two years ago and became involved in the racket. His role included finding potential buyers for the babies and arranging surrogate mothers. An officer at Bhawani Bhawan confirmed that Saurav has been taken into custody, and the couple previously arrested is also under questioning for further information. “We plan to cross-examine all the suspects to gather more leads in the case,” the officer stated.
The probe uncovered that the trafficking network operated beyond Kolkata, with newborns also sold in places like Santragachi, Sonarpur, Delhi, and Hyderabad.
