Special Correspondent
Pune : In a shocking incident, a couple from Pune allegedly sold their 40-day-old baby girl for ₹3.5 lakh. Yerawada Police have arrested six individuals, including the biological parents and middlemen, in connection with the case.
The accused have been identified as Meenal Omkar Sapkal (30, resident of Bibwewadi), Omkar Audumbar Sapkal (29, Bibwewadi), Sahil Afzal Bagwan (27, Satara), Reshma Shankar Pansare (34, Yerawada), Sachin Rama Avtade (44, Yerawada), and Deepali Vikas Fhatangare (32, Sangamner). A case has been registered under the Juvenile Justice Act and various relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code.
Meenal Sapkal was previously separated from her first husband and has a five-year-old son. She is currently living with Omkar Sapkal. On June 25, 2025, Meenal gave birth to a baby girl. Following the delivery, middlemen Bagwan, Pansare, and Avtade approached Meenal and convinced her to hand over the infant to Deepali Fhatangare for ₹3.5 lakh.
As per the investigation, the middlemen paid ₹2 lakh to the Sapkal couple and reportedly kept the remaining amount. Suspecting foul play over the actual amount, a dispute arose between the couple and the middlemen. In retaliation, Omkar Sapkal approached the Yerawada police and falsely reported that their daughter had been kidnapped.
Based on the complaint, the police apprehended the middlemen and Fhatangare, who had taken custody of the child. During interrogation, the truth came to light — the baby girl had been sold through an illegal transaction without following any legal adoption procedure.
Subsequently, the police arrested all six individuals, including the baby’s parents and those involved in the illegal sale. Investigations are ongoing to determine if the accused were part of a larger child trafficking network.
