Noida: A 26-year-old woman and her brother were arrested Saturday for allegedly stealing a three-day-old girl from a maternity hospital in Sector 110 on Friday so they could hand the infant to their sister, who had been unable to conceive despite nine years of marriage. Police said the accused, Upasana (26), allegedly planned to steal an infant after her sister faced taunts over being childless.Police arrested Upasana and her brother Kapil, residents of Karawal Nagar in Delhi, and recovered a scooter they used to flee from the hospital. The baby was found in Delhi on Friday night, about 10 hours after she was taken, and returned to her family.ACP Diksha Singh said Upasana had rented a room in Bhangel around nine days before the crime, allegedly as part of her preparations. The case was registered on a complaint by the baby’s father, Gautam Nandan, a cab driver.Gautam lives in rented accommodation in Bhangel with his wife Sapna and his parents. Sapna was admitted to the hospital on Oct 6 and delivered the child through a caesarean section. Around 8 am on Friday, the couple went to consult a doctor and left the newborn with her maternal grandmother Raksha Devi. Upasana, who was at the hospital, allegedly offered to look after the baby and then took her away.Sapna said the woman had earned the family’s trust by telling them govt gave Rs 4,000 in assistance after the birth of a girl. She allegedly said some paperwork had to be completed and the baby needed to accompany her. The family believed her and let the child go.When they realised the baby was missing, the family searched the hospital premises and, failing to find her, raised an alarm. Hospital officials and healthcare workers stepped in, and police at the Phase 2 station were informed.Police formed two teams to trace the newborn, while a third examined CCTV footage from the hospital and surrounding areas. The footage showed the woman leaving the hospital with a man on a bike. Investigators traced the bike to Delhi, where the baby was recovered and the accused apprehended.During questioning, Upasana initially said she had obtained the baby by paying money. The family denied this, police said.The accused faces charges under BNS sections 318(4) (cheating) and 137(2) (kidnapping).Under Mukhyamantri Kanya Sumangala Scheme, UP govt provides Rs 5,000 on the birth of a girl child to families with income below Rs 3 lakh. As per the scheme, a child is eligible to receive Rs 20,000 in five instalments till she has passed Class 10 or 12 and is enrolled in at least a two-year diploma course or a graduate degree.
