Exposed! Delhi’s baby sellers exploit minors
By HNN Special Investigation Team
It’s a shocking tale that exposes the dark underbelly of Capital’s adoption market.
A HNN Special Investigation reveals how a placement agency located in Shakoorpur area of West Delhi forces minor girls into conceiving and later sells the babies for big money.
The Special Investigation Team (SIT) had information that the agency brought girls below 18 years of age from Jharkhand and West Bengal and made them work as domestic helps in Delhi.
But that’s only half the story.
The minor girls were forced to conceive and their babies were sold off through agents.
Following a tip-off, two decoys of HNN Special Investigation team followed up on the case and went to the placement agency - Adivasi Seva Samiti Service - posing as a couple wanting to buy an infant.
The agency is run by one Vinod and his wife Preeti. HNN spoke with Preeti first. Here’s an excerpt from the conversation
HNN: How much do you take per baby?
Preeti: We sold the last baby for Rs 10000
While trying to fix a price for a baby, with Preeti, the team met Sukhmui, a young girl who had delivered a baby 20 days ago. Basanti, the midwife who helped deliver the baby, was also present. She and Preeti had differing takes on Sukhmui’s age.
Here’s an excerpt of a conversation with them, shot on a hidden cam.
Basanti: She must be 16-17 years old
Preeti: No, i think she’s older.
Basanti: I’ve delivered her baby. I know she’s a minor
The girl herself was unclear about when exactly she conceived the child. “It happened in my village,” is all that she recalls.
