Sold twice, Mumbai toddler rescued from Tamil Nadu couple

In Mumbai, a toddler aged 1.5 years was rescued from a child-selling racket after being sold twice to different parties. The father of the toddler allegedly sold him for Rs 1 lakh, and later the child was bought by a couple from Tamil Nadu for Rs 4.8 lakh. The case was uncovered on August 8 when the toddler's uncle, Sunny Singh, was unable to locate the child at Sion Hospital, where the family claimed he was taken after an injury.

Singh's mother received a call from his sister informing him that the child had fallen and was being treated at the hospital. Upon reaching the hospital, Singh could not find the child and later discovered that he had been sold by his mother. The police arrested the toddler's father, Sandip Singh, who confessed to selling the child to a woman for Rs 1 lakh due to unemployment and financial need.

The investigation led the police to Shabnam Khan, also known as Rani, who acted as a link between the sellers and prospective buyers. Khan, a former employee of IVF centers, used her contacts to identify potential adopters or purchasers. She confessed to involvement in the crime and helped the police arrest nine others, including Priya Borade, Akash Borade, and Deepak More.

The rescued toddler has been handed over to the Child Welfare Committee. The police are still investigating the racket and the involvement of additional individuals.