The Bombay high court recently refused bail to a man accused of kidnapping and selling the child from the footpath in the Suburban area of Mumbai.
While refusing bail to the accused, a single bench of Justice Anuja Prabhudesai observed, “Child trafficking is one of the most serious and heinous forms of exploitation which not only impacts the child and the family but threatens the very fabric of the society. Considering the gravity of the offense, I am not inclined to exercise the discretion under Section 439 of the Cr.P.C. in favour of the Applicant, who is involved in child trafficking racket.”
The bench was hearing the bail appeal of Parandam Gudenti, who was arrested in connection with the sale of a 10-month-old baby belonging to a family living on a footpath in Mumbai.
The case dates back to August 2021 when the child was abducted from a footpath near a traffic police booth in Mumbai’s suburban Bandra area while the family was sleeping.
The police discovered that the infant was sold to a childless couple for Rs 35,000 after being passed from one offender to another, with Gudenti serving as one of the mediators. According to the investigation, Gudenti paid Rs 1.5 lakh to an accused who kidnapped the youngster. He then sold the child for Rs 1.3 lakh to another accused, who subsequently sold the child to the childless couple for Rs 35,000. Significantly, the adopting father was named as a defendant in the case.
Appearing for Gudenti, Advocate Aparna Vhatkar contended that the investigation was complete, and the trial was about to commence. She went on to say that the Supreme Court had granted bail to the couple charged in the case. In connection with the sale, the police recovered Rs 1.05 lakh from Gudenti.
Footpath dwellers, according to Justice Anuja Prabhdesai, are the most disadvantaged and neglected section.
“The footpath dwellers, particularly street children, are the most vulnerable and marginalized section of society, prone to victimization and exploitation,” the single bench.
