Thane: A 23-year-old man suspected of trafficking and selling newborns has been arrested in Badlapur. The police said that they had found WhatsApp chats and bank transactions on the phone of the accused, Tushar Salvi. Police officials expressed suspicion that he is part of a baby-selling gang. The man’s arrest was accidental, said the police.
He was among six people who had been arrested in 2023 by Thane police in a case of lifting children and selling them. He was granted bail in March last year.
His recent WhatsApp chats indicate that he has sold some children to people, said inspector Dhananjay More of Badlapur (west) police station who is investigating the case. “Money from the sale came into his account… Also, he seems to be part of a racket involving children through illegal surrogacy,” the police officer told TOI.
It was by chance that the man’s alleged involvement in child trafficking and sale came to light, said the police. He used to sell watermelons along a forested patch near Badlapur. Recently, forest officials prohibited him from throing garbage and melon peels around the spot where he used to sell melons. The accused, however, alleged that the forest officials had been demanding money from him to allow him to dump garbage in the forested area. A police officer said that he had made a video of the allegations and it had gone viral on social media.
When senior forest officials received a complaint about his allegations of bribery, the watermelon vendor was called to investigate the matter. The police claimed that while examining his cellphone, the forest official had stumbled upon WhatsApp chats pertaining to sale of newborns. The forest official informed officials of Badlapur (west) police station about the matter, claimed the police officer.
The man was arrested and produced in a court which has remanded him in custody until Apr 9.
“Going by the WhatsApp chats found on his phone, there is a possibility of busting a big gang of child-lifters,” said the police officer.
Thane: A 23-year-old man suspected of trafficking and selling newborns has been arrested in Badlapur. The police said that they had found WhatsApp chats and bank transactions on the phone of the accused, Tushar Salvi. Police officials expressed suspicion that he is part of a baby-selling gang. The man’s arrest was accidental, said the police.
He was among six people who had been arrested in 2023 by Thane police in a case of lifting children and selling them. He was granted bail in March last year.
His recent WhatsApp chats indicate that he has sold some children to people, said inspector Dhananjay More of Badlapur (west) police station who is investigating the case. “Money from the sale came into his account… Also, he seems to be part of a racket involving children through illegal surrogacy,” the police officer told TOI.
It was by chance that the man’s alleged involvement in child trafficking and sale came to light, said the police. He used to sell watermelons along a forested patch near Badlapur. Recently, forest officials prohibited him from throing garbage and melon peels around the spot where he used to sell melons. The accused, however, alleged that the forest officials had been demanding money from him to allow him to dump garbage in the forested area. A police officer said that he had made a video of the allegations and it had gone viral on social media.
When senior forest officials received a complaint about his allegations of bribery, the watermelon vendor was called to investigate the matter. The police claimed that while examining his cellphone, the forest official had stumbled upon WhatsApp chats pertaining to sale of newborns. The forest official informed officials of Badlapur (west) police station about the matter, claimed the police officer.
The man was arrested and produced in a court which has remanded him in custody until Apr 9.
“Going by the WhatsApp chats found on his phone, there is a possibility of busting a big gang of child-lifters,” said the police officer.
