CID arrests 2 in a major child trafficking bust, exposes network between Bengal and Bihar

The CID has arrested Manik Haldar, a key figure behind a widespread child trafficking network operating between Bengal and Bihar. Haldar, along with an accomplice, was arrested on Sunday outside Shalimar Station. The investigation, which spanned several months, revealed a complex operation where newborns were trafficked from unlicensed nursing homes in Bihar and sold to childless couples in Bengal. The trafficking ring exploited vulnerable newborns, facilitating illegal adoptions for substantial sums.

Haldar, previously employed as an AC repairman, had extensive access to various IVF centers and nursing homes, where he became aware of the demand for children among childless couples. He eventually leveraged this knowledge to create a trafficking operation. Approximately two and a half years ago, Haldar began offering illegal adoption services. He set up a network, facilitating transactions between childless couples and unlicensed nursing homes in Bihar. Haldar’s business was conducted without any legal or ethical oversight, and he used covert methods to facilitate the illegal exchange of newborns.

The financial transactions involved in the illegal adoptions were substantial. According to CID investigators, the cost of a newborn was fixed between 3 to 12 lakh rupees. Couples seeking to adopt a son had to pay the higher amount, with 6 lakh rupees paid upfront to Haldar, and the remainder upon delivery of the child. Haldar would then coordinate with his contacts in Bihar, who sourced babies from unauthorized nursing homes that operated without proper licenses or medical regulations. These homes provided newborns without legal adoption documentation or medical records, making the babies vulnerable to exploitation.

Once the babies were obtained, they were transported across state lines to Bengal, where the illegal adoptions were completed. Haldar's network provided false documentation to the adopting parents to conceal the illegal nature of the adoption process. It is believed that several such transactions took place, with babies being sold under false pretenses, leading to a massive underground child trafficking operation that had been operating unchecked for years.

CID investigators have since expanded their efforts to target Bihar, where the unlicensed nursing homes were located. Authorities are working to track down other members of the trafficking network and those involved in the illegal operation. As part of the ongoing investigation, the CID has launched a probe into the unregulated medical facilities in Bihar that facilitated these illegal adoptions. The police have vowed to take stern action against those involved in these practices, including both the traffickers and the medical professionals who enabled them.