Fugitive kingpin of newborn trafficking racket arrested

The Delhi Police have arrested the kingpin of a syndicate involved in the trafficking of newborns, officials said on Saturday. The accused, identified as 38-year-old Sangram Dass, is a resident of Begampur in Delhi, originally from Odisha. He was arrested in Kolkata by a team from the Delhi Police Crime Branch on Thursday.

Was declared proclaimed offender

• The accused, identified as 38-year-old Sangram Dass, originally from Odisha, is a resident of Begampur in Delhi
• He was arrested in Kolkata by a team from the Delhi Police Crime Branch
• Dass had been evading law enforcement after his involvement in a human trafficking case registered at the Begampur Police Station on February 20
• He was declared a proclaimed offender by the court, with a bounty of ~20,000 placed on his capture

n He, along with his associates, used to buy and sell babies from Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and other states

Dass had been evading law enforcement after his involvement in a human trafficking case registered at the Begampur Police Station on February 20. He was declared a proclaimed offender by the court, with a bounty of Rs 20,000 placed on his capture.

The FIR was lodged after reports surfaced of newborns being seen in suspicious circumstances with certain individuals in the Jain Nagar Extension area of Delhi. The neglected appearance of the babies raised the alarm within the local community. Subsequent investigations uncovered a human trafficking ring, leading to the arrest of nine persons, including four men and five women. However, the kingpin, Dass, managed to evade arrest at that time.

“He revealed that he, along with his associates, used to buy and sell babies from Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and other states,” an official said. “The syndicate primarily targeted vulnerable families in dire need, enticing them to sell their newborns with promises of better lives for the children. They also operated by abducting babies from hospitals, railway stations, and other public places, deceiving parents with various ploys,” the official added.

The babies were then cared for by female members of the gang until buyers were found. The syndicate had established a widespread network across North India, with connections in multiple states, according to the police. Records indicated that members of this gang were involved in at least four other cases in various police stations across Delhi and Haryana.

Dass has been involved in criminal activities since 2004. He initially came to Delhi for a housekeeping job before being drawn into criminal activities.