Five women among 10 arrested for trying to sell infant via Whatsapp groups

South zone task force and Chandrayangutta police arrested 10 persons, including five women, for illegally trying to sell the boy via Whatsapp. The accused reportedly lured the baby's parents stating that they would give them Rs 2.5 lakh for their boy, collected his pictures and posted in their Whatsapp groups stating that the boy was up for sale for `eight lakh, police sources said.

The accused were identified as Shaik Ismail and Sultana Begum, Mehdi Ali, Fatima Rehmath, Syed Imtiaz Pasha, Najma Begum, Feroz Khan, mediator Sayeeda Shaik, Nafeez Begum, Kishanbagh and Sayeeda Begum.

The prime accused Mehidi Ali revealed during interrogation that he had approached the boy’s parents Shaik Ismail and Sultana Begum asking that they sell their son and get paid Rs 2.50 lakh, Katravath Guranath, Chandrayangutta inspector, told Deccan Chronicle.

Chandrayangutta police registered a case under the Juvenile Justice Act, 2015 and took up investigation, task force additional DCP Ande Srinivasa Rao said. The rescued boy was later handed over to the child welfare centre.