Delhi Police Probe Exposes Interstate Infant Trafficking Network, 30 Babies Sold

In a shocking case that has exposed the dark underbelly of illegal child trafficking in India, Delhi Police has unearthed an interstate racket that allegedly bought infants from vulnerable families for as little as ₹10,000–₹20,000 and sold them to childless couples for up to ₹10 lakh . Investigators believe nearly 30 infants were trafficked over the last 18 months , making it one of the most significant child-trafficking cases uncovered in recent years.

The probe has so far led to the arrest of 13 accused , including alleged traffickers, mediators, buyers, a private hospital owner, a freelance laboratory technician, a driver and a domestic worker. Police have also rescued five infants , who are currently under the care of the Child Welfare Committee (CWC) .

The racket came to light after an alert citizen reported suspicious activity involving newborns. Acting on the tip-off, Delhi Police launched a covert operation and conducted a decoy trap near R.K. Ashram Metro Station in Paharganj on June 5. Officers intercepted three suspects allegedly attempting to sell a newborn baby that was only four to five days old. The breakthrough triggered a wider investigation that uncovered a sprawling trafficking network operating across Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh .

According to investigators, the syndicate primarily targeted economically vulnerable and tribal families in remote areas of Rajasthan and Gujarat. Infants were allegedly sourced through local contacts and transported through a chain of suppliers, middlemen and facilitators before being sold to prospective buyers. Police say forged birth certificates, fabricated medical records and fake identities were used to disguise the illegal transfers.

One of the key developments in the case was the arrest of Saybabhai Ghamar alias Kalia from Gujarat on June 17. Investigators believe he played a major role in supplying infants to the network. Authorities are now tracing trafficking routes and examining whether other organised groups may have been linked to the operation.

The investigation has also raised concerns about the misuse of healthcare facilities. A private hospital owner is among those arrested, and police are examining hospital records and alleged fake pregnancy schemes that may have been used to present trafficked children as biological offspring of buyers.

Officials are now focusing on identifying all trafficked infants, tracing their biological parents and scrutinising financial transactions, phone records and documentation linked to the syndicate. With evidence pointing to a well-organised interstate supply chain, investigators believe the case could reveal a much larger trafficking ecosystem operating across northern and western India.