The Tiruchy police arrested a father who sold off his two-month-old baby in order to repay a debt of Rs 80,000. Two other persons involved in the incident were also arrested.
According to the police, the child’s mother, Kairunisha (34), filed a complaint against her husband Abdul Salam (42) and two others on January 23. Kairunisha had been staying with Abdul and their five children at Keezha Pandamangalam in Woraiyur.
The police quoted her and said they had given her child for adoption through a middle man named Arockiyaraj (38) and when she asked him to return her child, he informed her that her husband owes Rs 80,000 to him and hence he cannot get her child back.
Woraiyur Inspector K M Maniraj said based on Kairunisha’s complaint, they carried out an inquiry and during the interrogation, they found out that Kairunisha had apparently signed an adoption deed in the presence of her husband, the middle man and the parents who adopted the child.
“Adoption cannot be done that way. There is a legal procedure. It should be done either through a court or the district collector and the people apparently were unaware of the procedure,” he said.
The inspector added that when they conducted further inquiry, they came to know that Abdul, an alcoholic, was also involved in gambling and had decided to sell his two-month-old male child in exchange for money.
“Through Arockiyaraj, he sold his child to one Santhanakumar (45) and got around Rs 80,000 in multiple instalments. Santhanakumar and his wife Latha wanted to adopt a male child as they lost their 15-year-old son in an accident. Abdul spent the entire amount he received in gambling and by drinking. On January 19, he convinced his wife to give their child to Santhanakumar. She had apparently agreed given their financial condition but was unaware that her husband had already taken money from Santhanakumar,” the inspector said.
A couple of days later, Kairunisha asked Abdul to bring back her child as she was unable to live without him but he reportedly denied. She then approached the police to register a complaint and appealed to bring her child back.
The police booked all the three men on January 23 under Section 81 of the Juvenile Justice Act. They were later remanded and lodged at Manaparai sub-jail.
