Indian police arrest ruling BJP's woman leader in child trafficking case

Police in the eastern Indian state of West Bengal have arrested a woman leader of the country's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for her alleged involvement in a child trafficking racket.

Officials said BJP women's wing leader Juhi Chowdhury was nabbed from near the Indo-Nepal border in the state's Darjeeling district Tuesday night.

"She was on the run for the last few days but she's now in our custody. We will produce her in court," police officer Ajay Prasad told the media Wednesday.

Chowdhury's arrest is the fourth in the case that involves selling of at least 17 babies across the country and also to couples from foreign countries in the last few months through Bimala Sishu Griho, a non-government adoption centre.

The racket was unearthed by the police after raids on homes and a number of nursing homes in Baduria of the state's North 24 Parganas district and other parts of southern West Bengal since November last year, based on tip-offs.

State BJP chief Dilip Ghosh has said the party is looking into the allegations against Chowdhury and will take action if she is found guilty.

"We are probing the matter and will act accordingly if the woman leader is found involved in the racket," he said. Endit