DEHRADUN: A 35-year-old woman who had registered a complaint claiming that her 15-year-old daughter was abducted was arrested after police found that she had allegedly sold the girl for Rs 1.5 lakh to a woman who was looking for a bride for a man in UP, officials said.The teenager was found in Muzaffarnagar after a month-long investigation that involved CCTV footage, digital surveillance and manual intelligence.Dalanwala CO Nitin Lohani said the woman filed the abduction complaint on July 5, following which police registered an FIR and began tracing the girl.“Taking the complaint seriously, we immediately registered an FIR and launched an investigation. We gathered inputs through CCTV footage, manual intelligence and digital surveillance for one month and found the girl in Muzaffarnagar,” Lohani said.Police said that the recovery led to the arrest of Manish Kumar, 37, a resident of Muzaffarnagar, and Lavi Kumar, 24, a resident of Meerut.During questioning, the two allegedly told investigators that the minor had been sold by her mother to another woman, identified as Pinki Malik, for Rs 1.5 lakh.Lohani said Malik had met the girl’s mother a few months ago at a public function and asked her to find a girl for marriage to a man known to her.“The girl’s mother told Malik she could sell her own daughter for the purpose, and the two agreed on Rs 1.5 lakh,” Lohani said.Police said that Malik then handed over the teenager to Manish, who allegedly sold her further to Lavi for Rs 2 lakh. Lavi was the man who wanted to marry, police said.Investigators alleged that after receiving Rs 2 lakh, Manish paid only Rs 80,000 to the girl’s mother and promised to give the rest later.“When Manish kept delaying the remaining payment, the mother lodged a false complaint of abduction,” Lohani said. Police said the girl’s mother, Pinki Malik, Manish and Lavi were arrested and produced before a local court on Monday, which sent them to jail.An FIR was filed under relevant BNS sections, including 64 (rape), 87 (abduction), and 143 (human trafficking), along with provisions of Pocso Act.Police said the girl was being provided necessary assistance, and further investigation was underway to examine the role of others, if any, in the trafficking chain.
