Thane, Nov 7 (PTI) Police in Maharashtra’s Thane have arrested 10 members of a gang, including a Home Guard personnel, involved in selling a newborn baby, and rescued the infant, an official said on Saturday.
The personnel from the Mumbra police station rescued the 20-day-old infant unharmed on Friday, within 24 hours of receiving the complaint, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Zone-I) Balasaheb Patil said at a press conference.
The complainant, 19-year-old Anisa Rafiq Shaikh, who earns her living by seeking alms near the Mumbra railway station, was coerced by an accused, identified as Rehan Rizwan Shaikh (22), into selling her baby boy for Rs 2.5 lakh, he said.
Rehan initially handed over Rs 1.2 lakh to Anisa. However, he and his associate later beat Anisa and her sister and forcibly took the money back, he added.
Following the incident, a case was registered at the Mumbra police station on November 5, 2026, under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including Sections 143(3), 143(4), 308(2), 61(2), 309(6), 352, 115(2), and 351(2).
A police team was formed to track down the gang and rescue the child.
Within 24 hours, police apprehended from Thane seven suspects — Jyoti Naresh Patil (35), Rehan Rizwan Shaikh (22), Farhan alias Ferau Rehan Shaikh (21), Farida Akbar Sayyed (52), Hurna alias Husna Altaf Shaikh (27), Anita Gopinath Dhotre (42) and Sunita Pravin Khairnar (30).
Further investigation led the police team to Jalna district, where they detained Gopinath Kisan Dhotre (46), a Home Guard stationed in Mumbai’s Ghatkopar, who assisted in the child’s sale.
Simultaneously, another team located the infant in Ratnagiri and brought the child back safely to Thane.
The remaining two accused, Pratima Prakash Parab (46) of Dombivli (West) and Shilpa Pradeep Sathe (34) of Diva, were arrested on November 6.
The police are presently probing whom the child was sold, the official said.
It is not known if this gang is involved in any other such crimes.
All 10 arrested individuals have been remanded to police custody till November 10.
Following a medical examination, the rescued infant was placed under the care of ‘Janani Ashish Sanstha’ in Dombivli as directed by the Child Welfare Committee (CWC), which will determine further custody arrangements. PTI COR NP
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