Police investigating ‘Slumdog’ sale story

Police in India say they are investigating a report that Rafiq Qureshi attempted to sell his daughter, 9-year-old Slumdog Millionaire star Rubina Ali.

Britain’s News of the World reported that Qureshi met with undercover journalists posing as representatives for a wealthy family from Dubai interested in adopting Rubina. The newspaper said Qureshi demanded nearly $300,000 before he would agree to the child’s adoption.

However, Qureshi has vehemently denied the allegations and said he was set up by unethical reporters looking for a story.

Mumbai police inspector Prakash Salunke told CNN authorities have questioned Qureshi, Rubina and her mother Khurshida Begum. Salunke added that Rubina backed up her father’s statements, while Begum, Qureshi’s ex-wife, said she believed the allegations against him.

Shantha Sinha, head of India’s National Commission for Protection of Child Rights, told CNN the agency has requested a report from the police and will make a decision after seeing it.

Slumdog Millionaire won the Oscar for best picture earlier this year.