Stolen baby boy would be ‘budhape ka sahara’, say duo

Two days after being arrested for stealing a newborn from Thane civil hospital, the accused husband-wife duo said it was done with the intention to raise a child who would look after them.  These claims have made the Thane cops dig deeper into the case as it can unearth a bigger child trafficking racket.

The arrest of Gudiya, 35,  and Sonu Rajbhar, 40, from their Kalyan residence on January 15 for kidnapping a newborn baby boy points toward a statewide child trafficking racket.  “Gudiya, who walked away with the infant from Thane hospital’s maternity ward, says she committed the crime to have a son of her own,” says a senior police official from Thane crime branch unit 1.  “She said she had five daughters and a son and wanted one more male child,” he adds.

The statements given by Gudiya during investigation are further confusing as at times she says the crime was done to help their neighbor and accomplice Vijay Srivastav, 55.  “Srivastav is 55 now and does not have a son. He wanted to raise this boy who would take care of him in his old age,” she said.

Though these statements clash, one thing is clear: the child was stolen with the intention to `take care’ of the thieves. Six more children - one boy and five girls - were rescued from the accused’s Pisavli residence in Kalyan east.  “We are doing a DNA test to ascertain the Rajbhars’ claims that these are their children,” he adds. “There is a huge possibility that the kids were stolen to be sold or pushed into beggary.  We are investigating that angle as well,” the police official added.