Shima/Jalandhar, Feb 24: A major operation by the Himachal Pradesh Police has led to the arrest of nine individuals involved in a trafficking syndicate that promised illegal adoptions for high fees. The probe, which spans multiple states, revealed that the group charged as much as ₹4.85 lakh for a single child, targeting unsuspecting families in Punjab, Haryana, and Himachal Pradesh.
The Superintendent of Police for Dehra, Mayank Chaudhary, declared that the arrests were made possible through a combination of technical surveillance and the tracking of financial transactions. He stated that the gang functioned by scouting for couples who were frustrated by the lengthy legal adoption process. The latest arrests include five residents of Punjab and one from Haryana, all believed to be key intermediaries in the network.
During the investigation, police recovered a baby in Dehra who had been the subject of an illegal placement. The infant is now under the protection of the state’s juvenile welfare system. Investigators affirmed that the gang’s activities were a direct violation of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act.
“The gang functioned through a web of primary agents who scouted for ‘clients’ across state borders,” SP Chaudhary noted, emphasizing the organized nature of the crime.
Legal experts affirmed that avoiding the CARA framework—which requires mandatory registration and home study reports—strips both the child and the adoptive parents of any legal protections. Authorities stated that they are continuing to investigate the financial records of the suspects to identify any additional victims. The police maintained that while legal adoption can be a long process, bypassing it contributes to the rise of such trafficking rackets.
