Mumbai, February 20: The Mumbai police recently rescued a one-year-old boy who was allegedly sold to a couple in Raigad district for Rs 40,000. The police have booked seven people, including the boy's parents, in connection with the case. The incident came to light when the couple who reportedly bought the boy tried to admit him to the Wadia hospital, thereby seeking treatment for his abdominal pain.

According to a report in Hindustan Times, hospital authorities suspected foul play as the couple who bought the child did not provide any valid documents of either the child or his parents. The accused couple have been identified as Parashuram Chougle (52) and Malti Chougle (48), while his parents have been identified as Chandrakant Waghmare and Shewanti Waghmare. Loan Fraud in Mumbai: Man Forges His Aadhar Card and Other Documents, Replaces Father’s Name With Employer’s To Take Rs 26 Lakh Loan; Booked.

The other accused booked in the case include Laxmi Patil, Deepti Pavse and Bhaskar Cholkar. Cops said that Chougles, residents of Wadvali village in Shrivardhan taluka of Raigad district, were looking to adopt as they did not have a child even after 30 years of marriage. In September last year, Malti Choughle's sister, Laxmi Patil, informed her about a fellow villager named Chandrakant Waghmare.

She told her sister that Waghmare had given his one-year-old boy to his neighbour, Deepti Pavse, to take care of him. However, Deepti did not want to keep the child. Patil informed her sister and asked if she would like to adopt the child. Following this, the couple visited Laxmi Patil's house, where they met Pavse. The woman claimed she bought the child from Waghmare for Rs 50,000.

Pavse also claimed that the child did not seem to be happy with her as the boy used to cry continuously. She told the couple that she wanted to sell the child for Rs 40,000. Post this, the Chougles decided to buy the boy on September 30 and paid Rs 5,000 as an advance in the presence of two more villagers. Later, they brought the boy home and named him Sai. However, the child fell sick, and they consulted a doctor who referred them to Wadia Hospital. Online Scam in Mumbai: Cyber Fraudsters Dupe 46-Year-Old Businessman of Rs 8.43 Lakh After Posing As Police; Second Such Incident in Two Days.

When the couple visited the hospital, the authorities suspected foul play and quickly alerted the police. All the accused have been booked under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Child Protection Act.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Feb 20, 2024 12:08 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).