Five persons led by a paramour were arrested for allegedly selling a newborn baby girl to a childless couple belonging to the Kakinada district. The five accused have been identified as Kothapalli Ramu, P. Balaraju, M. Swarna Prakash, Gunnam Bhanu Kiran and Oddori Suresh. All of them belong to the Konaseema region.
The incident came to light on October 9 after the baby’s 34-year-old mother P. Varalakshmi lodged a police complaint against her live-in partner, Kothapalli Ramu, for giving her baby for illegal adoption.
Ms. Varalakshmi and Mr. Ramu had been in a live-in relationship for the past three years in Amalapuram town in Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Konaseema District. On September 25, Ms. Varalakshmi was blessed with a baby girl. She is a sweeper in a private bank in Amalapuram.
“Mr. Ramu in support of his five other friends convinced Ms. Varalakshmi to give her baby for adoption through legal process for ₹3.2 lakh compensation, to be given by the recipients of the baby. On October 4, the six members took the baby girl to Kakinada district, where they sold the baby to a childless couple”, said Amalapuram DSP Mr. Ambika Prasad.
The five-member gang including the paramour paid ₹1.4 lakh to the victim as against the promised ₹3.2 lakh compensation. Later, the victim lodged a police complaint seeking the return of her baby.
“The five accused have been arrested on October 10 and sent to Rajamundry Central Prison on judicial remand. The investigation is on. The search is in progress for the sixth accused in the case,” said DSP Ambika Prasad. The police also recovered the ten-day-old baby from the childless couple and handed over to the victim.
