Mumbai Police Bust Racket Selling Infants; Six Women Held

The city of Mumbai, often referred to as the 'City of Dreams'  was marred by a shocking revelation as the Mumbai Police successfully exposed a nefarious racket engaged in the illicit sale of newborn infants and have initiated the process to invoke MCOCA (Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act) against six women, shedding light on the dark underbelly of human trafficking that had been thriving clandestinely in the eastern suburbs of the bustling city. 

The Tip-off and the Fake Nursing Home

The individuals at the heart of this appalling racket have been identified as Goribi Usman Shaikh, Shabana Zhakir Shaikh, Gulabasha Mateen Shaikh, Julia Fernandes, Saiarabano Nabiullah Shaikh, and Rina Nitin Chavan. 

The sinister operation came to light when Sub-Inspector Sharad Nanaware of Trombay police station received a crucial tip-off regarding a woman named Saiarabano, who was allegedly selling newborn babies.  

Alarming reports indicated that the newborn had been surreptitiously traded for a staggering sum of Rs 5 lakh, all transacted without the presence of any legitimate documentation.

Investigation 

With the deal struck, a meticulously coordinated trap was set in motion, culminating in the arrests of Saiarabano and Rina Chavan when they attempted to deliver a five-day-old baby girl to an undercover operative. Further investigations uncovered a disturbing web of deceit, revealing that Saiarabano was a bogus doctor with only an SSC qualification. She had obtained a fraudulent certificate in radio pathology from Delhi, allowing her to practice in Rahimani Hospital in the Rafiq Nagar area, Govandi, for a year before her arrest.

Saiarabano's connections ran deep as she was in contact with Julia Fernandes, who operated a network of agents that preyed on vulnerable, financially distressed parents seeking to sell their newborns. As the investigation delved deeper, Saiarabano and Chavan exposed the names of two other women agents, Goribi and Shabana, who played a pivotal role in facilitating the sale of the baby girl.

These agents operated in Mankhurd, Govandi, and neighbouring areas, identifying impoverished pregnant women who could be lured into this illicit trade. Additionally, the mother of the baby girl, Gulabasha, was also arrested in connection with the case.

Julia Fernandes: A Repeated Offender

Julia Fernandes, a central figure in this nefarious operation, managed to evade arrest initially by fleeing to Delhi. However, the long arm of the law caught up with her, and she was apprehended in the final week of September, thanks to critical technical evidence. Notably, this was not her first brush with the law; Fernandes had been involved in six similar cases registered in the city.

Her criminal history includes an arrest in 2017 in Wadala for selling a newborn baby, as well as her involvement in a 2020 racket busted by Unit 9 of the Mumbai Crime Branch. In 2021, she faced charges filed by Mankhurd police in yet another similar case. Most alarmingly, many of the women agents arrested in this recent case had prior involvements with Fernandes in her previous exploits.

The revelation of this baby-selling racket has sent shockwaves throughout Mumbai and the nation, highlighting the need for stringent action against such heinous crimes. 

Suggested reading  : UP: Unmarried Pregnant Woman, 21, Set On Fire By Mother And Brother