Married woman kidnapped, sold for Rs 1 lakh in Rajasthan

Nagpur, June 10: A married woman was abducted and sold in Kota (Rajashan) for Rs 1 lakh by her friend who promised to help her get a job. The accused took the help of two others, one of whom runs a marriage bureau.

Jaripatka police are searching for Maithili Bhugade (name changed), a resident of Samata Nagar. On June 2, Maithili left home with her three-year-old son Arun (name changed) in search of a job. She was with her friend Jayashree. On June 7, the abductors sent back Arun with Rizan Ali (26), a resident of Wathoda. Ali has been arrested.

During the initial interrogation, Ali said that Maithili was sold to a businessman in Kota for Rs 1 lakh. He claimed that he had no idea about the whereabouts of Jayashree and the third accused Bhupendra. "We have sent a team to Kota," said the investigating officer Umesh Besarkar.

Bhupendra is a resident of Baragaon in Kota (Rajasthan) and runs a marriage bureau. Police went to Jayashree's residence in Pardie but it was locked.

Husband Rahul (name changed) told TOI that on Tuesday, he was at his office when Maithili called and told him that she was going to Wardha with Arun in search of a job.

"She told me that Jayashree has got her a bank job with a good salary and hence she is leaving urgently," said Rahul, who works with a private firm.

Maithili called Rahul again on June 3. This time the call was short. She told Rahul that she reached safely and that Jayshree was there to take care of her. "When I asked her about the job, she said she would talk later and disconnected the call," added Rahul.

The next day, when Rahul called, Maithili's phone was not reachable. On June 5, she called Rahul from a new number and told him that she had lost her phone. She didn't inform him about the place from where she was calling.

On June 6, Rahul got a call from Rajasthan saying that Maithili married another man for Rs 1 lakh. "I was shocked. I said that I want to talk to Maithili or Jayshree but the caller refused. He gave me Jayashree's cell number and ended the call saying that she would return with Arun," said Rahul, who had a love marriage with Maithili five years ago.

Rahul immediately called Jayashree who asked him to meet her near HB Town on Kamptee Road to take Arun. Suspecting foul play, Rahul alerted Jaripatka police and set a trap near HB town.

However, Ali came with Arun. Police tried Jayashree's number but it was not reachable. Police has also learnt that Jayashree is linked to a cartel which sells girls and women to businessmen in Rajasthan and Gujarat.