The police arrested a doctor attached to the Tiruchengode Government Hospital and a woman for forcing a couple to sell their infant and for selling newborns in the past. The doctor was placed under suspension on Monday.
S. Dinesh, 29, a resident of Animoor, near Tiruchengode, and his wife Nagadevi were expecting their third child. Ms. Nagadevi gave birth to a female baby on October 7 at Suriyampalayam primary health centre and was later shifted to the government hospital and was discharged on October 12.
The next day, Mr. Dinesh received a call from a woman, claiming to be speaking from the Tiruchengode Government Hospital, who asked him meet her. On meeting her, she introduced herself as T. Logambal, 38, and she told him she knew of a couple who wanted to adopt a female child and asked Mr. Dinesh to sell his newborn daughter to her for ₹2 lakh. However, he refused and lodged a complaint with the police on Sunday.
The police nabbed Logambal and interrogated her. During the inquiry, she revealed that she had sold seven infants in the past to childless couples and received ₹30,000 as commission for each sale. She had become acquainted with a doctor at the government hospital A. Anuradha, and with her assistance, sold infants.
Three months ago, she sold a male infant with the help of Anurdha and gave her ₹2.8 lakh for facilitating it. The doctor informed her about Mr. Dinesh’s newborn daughter and passed on their number too, Logambal alleged. The doctor allegedly persuaded the women who came to her for treatment to sell their babies.
Following this, the Tiruchengode police registered a case under Sections 120(b) and 370(4) of the Indian Penal Code and under Sections 81 and 87 of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act. Anuradha was also arrested, and both women were remanded in judicial custody.
Police sources said Logambal claimed that she would be able to identify the children and the couples who had bought them. We decided to take Logambal and doctor Anuradha into custody for further investigations, they added.
On Monday, Namakkal District Joint Director (Health Services) Rajmohan inspected the Tiruchengode Government Hospital and inquired with the doctors regarding the incident. He then issued a suspension order for Anuradha. Health officials also sealed Anuradha’s clinic at Tiruchengode. Similarly, they sealed nine rooms, including a room used for scans, at another private hospital where Anuradha treated patients.
