The West Bengal Police on Monday named Bharatiya Janata Party women’s wing leader Juhi Choudhury in a First Information Report pertaining to a child trafficking case, reported the Hindustan Times. A non-governmental organisation, Bimala Sishu Griha, allegedly sold at least two dozen children under the pretext of adoption to various parts of the country, and to foreign countries such as Spain, France, the United States of America and Singapore.
Two officials of the NGO – Chandana Chakraborty and chief adoption officer Sonali Mondol –were arrested by the CID from Jalpaiguri on Saturday. The accused have been booked under the Juvenile Justice Act relating for child trafficking and conspiracy, along with other various sections of the Indian Penal Code. The CID said Rs three to five lakh was charged per child trafficked abroad, and Rs one to three lakh per child within the country.
Choudhury had helped Chakraborty in securing adoption clearances from the central government, reported The New Indian Express. She has been charged under Sections 370 and 370A of the Indian Penal Code. The Trinamool Chhatra Parishad staged a protest outside BJP party office in Jalpaiguri on Monday demanding Choudhury’s arrest for allegedly helping Chakraborty, PTI reported.
“She’s a key suspect. She visited Delhi several times to get renewal papers for the home,” an officer told The Telegraph.
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