Mumbai: Dentist held for buying kids, assaulting them

A 43-year-old woman from Bhubaneswar, Odisha, has been arrested by Wadala TT police for allegedly “purchasing” two children from a Mumbai-based child trafficking network, whom she physically abused. A dentist by profession, she allegedly sought to raise children without undergoing any legal adoption procedures.

The case first came to light in August last year when a senior citizen approached the police, reporting that his son-in-law and grandson were missing. During the investigation, the son-in-law, Anil Ganesh Purvaiya, was found to be the prime accused—he had allegedly sold his two-year-old son for Rs 1.8 lakh. Purvaiya was arrested, along with two Chembur-based women, Asha Pawar and Asma Shaikh, to whom he had sold the child. 

According to police officers, both women are habitual offenders with a history of involvement in child trafficking. Asha’s boyfriend, Sharif Shaikh, who remains absconding, acted as the “transporter” responsible for delivering the children to buyers. Asma Shaikh, identified as the “middle-woman”, played a central role in the transactions.

A two-year-old boy and four-year-old girl were found covered in bruises at the home of the accused. Representation Pic/iStock 

All three arrests—Purvaiya, Asha, and Asma—were made last year, but the child remained untraced. “We kept looking for breakthroughs to trace the child and the individuals who purchased him, and a couple of weeks ago, we finally got one. We got to know that the child is with a woman who resides in Odisha,” the official added.

Unfortunately, the team of police who were in Odisha couldn’t locate the accused woman, but they got to know about her new whereabouts, in Uttarpara, a city in Hooghly district, West Bengal.

The team managed to reach her location last week. Rashmi Bannerjee, the accused, was immediately arrested from her residence, and the police found two children in the house, who had visible bruises, suggesting they had been subjected to physical abuse.

The missing boy, now two years and eight months old, was found covered in bruises, as was the second child—a four-year-old girl. The girl was placed under the care of the Child Welfare Committee (CWC) in Kolkata, while the boy was brought back to Mumbai and admitted to Sion Hospital for treatment. His grandfather was informed about his recovery and current condition. The girl was brought by the accused when the child was only a month old, and she purchased the toddler for Rs 4 lakh.

“The boy referred to the accused woman as ‘Ma’ and revealed that she would frequently beat him in anger,” said an official familiar with the case. “During interrogation, Bannerjee revealed that the boy often felt hungry and demanded food, which irritated her.” The official added, “Even when the child was with us, he would finish food on his plate within seconds and feel hungry again. It appears to be a psychological issue, so we will now have him evaluated by a psychologist. For now, he is being treated by general doctors for his bruises, and he looks happy and safe in the care of his grandfather.”

All the accused have been booked for child trafficking offences. The dentist has been remanded in police custody for further interrogation. Meanwhile, the previously arrested accused are currently lodged at Byculla jail. The police will now visit the jail to question the accused to find more information on the case. The team responsible for cracking the case includes PI Anuradha Bhosale, the investigating officer; PSI Kiran Nawle; Head Constable Angrak; Police Constable Shinde; and Woman Police Constable Murkute.

Rs 1.8 lakh
Amount accused paid man for his two-year-old son