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The accused, identified as Sangram Dass, a resident of Delhi’s Begumpur and the prime accused in the case, was declared a proclaimed offender by the court, the police said.
Dass was facing a reward of Rs 20,000 on his head for his alleged involvement in human trafficking cases, they added.
In February this year, information was received at the Begumpur police station that newborn babies were seen with some persons residing in the Jain Nagar Extension area, a police officer said.
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During investigation, evidence of human trafficking surfaced, following which nine persons, including five women, were arrested in the case, he added.
However, Dass, kingpin of the gang, was absconding, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime) SK Sain said.
To nab him, raids were conducted at different places in Delhi, NCR, Odisha and West Bengal but he frequently kept changing his hideouts. He was finally apprehended him from Kolkata on Thursday, Sain said.
During interrogation, Dass disclosed that he along with his gang members and other associates used to purchase and sell babies from Punjab and Uttar Pradesh, he added.
The DCP said Dass is a native of Odisha with a wife and two children in his family. He came to Delhi in 2004 for a job in housekeeping and later got involved in criminal activities with his associates.
He and his associates had developed a crime network in north India. They used to allegedly target poor families in need and entice them to sell their newborn babies by promising good upbringing of their children.
They would also pick up newborn babies from hospitals, railway stations and other public places by deceiving their parents. Thereafter, the babies were looked after by the female members of the gang, so that no one would suspect them of theft until a prospective buyer or customer was found.
The members of this gang of have been involved in four cases lodged at various police stations of Delhi and Haryana, the police said.