As the investigation into the racket gathers pace, police have begun piecing together the stories of couples who allegedly purchased newborn babies — some of them were purchased for prices going as high as Rs 10 lakh, said officers. Raids are being carried out in parts of Uttar Pradesh to recover two infants even as five have been rescued so far. A parallel probe, said officers, is going on to identify the couples who sold their children.

Among the 13 arrested are Mukesh (37) and his wife, Reema Pal, from Gwalior — they had allegedly purchased two newborns, according to officers, after they were unable to have their own children.  Mukesh, a truck driver, earned a modest but steady income, and despite repeated attempts, the couple — married for nearly eight years — could not conceive due to medical complications, according to police.

Last year, they visited several IVF centres in Delhi and Gurgaon in hope of becoming parents. It was during this period, said police, that they came in contact with another accused, Pratibha, who has also been arrested. She allegedly offered them a ray of hope.  According to investigators, the couple then allegedly lied to their family that Reema was expecting, and shifted to Gurgaon in September 2025, claiming she needed to stay in the city for better medical care.

This year, on May 17, Pratibha allegedly told the couple to come to Hira Hospital. Upon their arrival, hospital records and admission documents were allegedly prepared to make it appear as though Reema had been admitted for delivery, according to police.  Initially, the couple was allegedly offered a newborn boy for Rs 8 lakh. However, since a newborn girl was also available, the accused allegedly offered both babies together for Rs 9 lakh. Police claim the entire payment was made in cash. Investigators have also arrested another couple — Sunny Arora and Ritu Arora hailing from Haryana’s Panipat. According to the police, they allegedly purchased a baby boy, who was handed over to them in March this year, for Rs 6 lakh in cash.

The mastermind has been identified as Sayabhai Ghamar alias Kalia who was arrested from Sanwar Kantha Officials privy to the investigation said Kalia initially assisted a man named as ‘Sardar’ who he met outside a temple where newborns were allegedly being sold and he was given Rs 5,000 for it.  “For the society and people who knew him, Kalia worked as a farmer and also drove a van which belonged to his relative. He is married and has three children. He continued assisting Sardar and realised he could make this a business on his own. He then bypassed him and contacted Pratibha and the two then started the business separately,” an officer privy to investigation said.

Police said the gang members used to address the infants as ‘files’.

All payments were allegedly made in cash and apart from an infant girl from Delhi, other newborns were transported by car. “Driver Vipin (arrested) along with Jyoti or Shalu would,  by car, travel to Pali in Rajasthan from where they would give the money to Kalia and take the child and bring back. A man usually accompanied them so that in case of suspicion they could pretend to be a family and pass off.  The babies were then kept at Heera Hospital from where they were transported to customers at their location or some were called to hospital and given,” the officer added.  On Thursday, DCP, Central Rohit Rajbir Singh said that three accused — Jyoti alias Kamlesh, Shalu and Lalit —-  were nabbed as they attempted  to sell a newborn infant to decoy customers arranged by the police team.

“Central District conducted a  decoy operation near RK Ashram Metro Station after relieving tip-offs,” an officer said.  Others who have been arrested have been identified as Vipin, Omwati,  and Sarika. Officers said the operation and subsequent investigation was carried out by Sub Inspector Pragati, SI Yamini Vats, ASI Hamender, HC Sushma, ASI Sunil, HC Anuj, HC Mohit and Constable Inderjeet under the supervision of Inspector Sandeep Yadav and ACP Operations Padam Singh Rana.