Noida: The Noida police on Tuesday recovered an infant who had gone missing eight months ago after he was allegedly stolen and sold to a childless man in Hapur, officials said.
Three people, including a doctor, have been arrested for their alleged involvement in the theft, sale and purchase of the child, they said.
Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central Noida) Hridesh Katheria said complainant Shivangi, who lives in Shahberi in the Bisrakh area, had lodged a missing person’s complaint in May 2023 after her one-month-old son went missing.
Shivangi had gone to Ghaziabad for some work and left her son in the custody of her aunt Babita Sharma at her home. When she returned from work in the evening, the aunt and her son were not found at the house, according to the police.
During investigation, Babita was arrested and she informed the police that she had passed on the child to an acquaintance woman, Jamuna, to sell the child to a doctor in Hapur in exchange for money, the police said.
“However, Babita said she does not know the address or contact number of Jamuna, whom she had handed over the child,” Katheria told reporters.
With the help of surveillance team and manual probe, Jamuna was traced and it was found that she was in touch with a doctor, Deepak Tyagi, in Hapur, the police officer said.
“This doctor was in touch with a man identified as Amar Veer, who had lost his child and had contacted the doctor to buy a child,” Katheria said.
“It has been found that the deal was fixed for Rs 2 lakh of which Dr Tyagi kept Rs 1 lakh and Rs 50,000 each were given to Jamuna and Babita Sharma,” the additional DCP said.
The child has been recovered safely while the three accused — all residents of Hapur district — have been arrested, and they will be produced in a local court, he said.
Further legal proceedings in the case are being carried out, he added.