Chandigarh, July 3 -- In a shocking case of child trafficking, Fatehgarh Sahib Police busted a baby smuggling racket in which a newborn child was sold for Rs.5 lakh. Eight people, including a midwife, an ASHA worker, and a woman from Kolkata, have been arrested. The father of the child himself has been allegedly cheated with Rs.1.5 lakh in counterfeit notes in the illegal deal.

The child was born on June 23 at Mandi Gobindgarh's Deep Hospital, as told by police officials. The father, who was said to be financially strained, consented to give away the child to a middleman network purportedly operated by a midwife, Manjeet Kaur, at the urging of an ASHA worker and other middlemen.

The racket was uncovered when a complaint was filed by the...