Child trafficking nexus busted by Bengaluru police, 16 arrested

Preliminary investigations had revealed that the accused Uday Prathap Singh had sent over 30 children, all of them less than 10 years old, to the USA, police claimed.

Singh collected Rs 22 lakh to Rs 25 lakh for each child sent to the US. The majority of the trafficked children are from Gujarat and Punjab, the additional commissioner of police (east) P Harishekaran said.

The accused created fake documents and obtained passports and visas for the children and the children were sent to the US with fake parents. The fake parents would return to India within a few days of taking the children to the US.

“The investigation into the case is underway and a further probe is needed to identify the whereabouts of the children and the purpose behind transporting them to the US,” Harishekaran said.

“The gang would first find a couple to pose as parents of children. They would then contact their agents in Gujarat, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and other places to bring minor children. The couples and the children were subsequently put together for a one month to create the semblance of a family,” a police officer said.