Delhi Police busts infant trafficking syndicate, nabs three

New Delhi: The Delhi Police has busted a suspected infant trafficking syndicate that operated in Gujarat, Rajasthan and Delhi-NCR, an officer said on Sunday.

Three accused -- Yashmin (30), Anjali (36) and Jitender (47) -- were arrested and a male infant was rescued during the operation.

Acting on a tip-off, a Delhi Police team launched an operation that spanned more than 20 days and included analysis of over 20 phone numbers linked to the suspects.

The arrested accused were nabbed from the Uttam Nagar area on April 8 after they had left the infant in a locked car.

The gang targeted poor families in Gujarat and Rajasthan and trafficked infants to affluent, childless couples in Delhi-NCR, charging between Rs 5 and Rs 10 lakh per baby. The arrested accused acted on the directions of the suspected gang leader Saroj, who is currently absconding, the police said.

"Anjali has a history of involvement in similar crimes. She was earlier arrested by the CBI (Central Bureau of Investigation) in a human trafficking case," Deputy Commissioner of Police (Dwarka) Ankit Singh said in a statement.

The rescued infant has been placed under care and efforts are underway to trace his biological parents.

The police are also working to track down other members of the gang and its wider network, believed to span multiple states. The gang is believed to have trafficked more than 35 infants.