Year

Country

Home

People

Films

Articles

Store

Khurshid Begum, the estranged mother of child actress Rubina Ali, lodged a complaint with the Mumbai police after the British tabloid News of the World reported that Rafiq Qureshi, the girl’s father, intended to put her up for adoption in a deal allegedly struck with one of its reporters posing as a rich sheik.   The newspaper alleged that Qureshi’s asking price equated to almost £277,000 in rupees.

Qureshi strenuously denied the allegations when he spoke to the media outside the Mumbai police station where he had been questioned by detectives. He claimed that he had visited a hotel in Mumbai after being contacted by someone who said they wanted to help Rubina after being moved by her story.

‘We had gone there to meet them in goodwill,’ he said. ‘But they have made false allegations about me and tried to frame me.’   Qureshi also claimed that the undercover reporter promised him cash and talked of giving him more if he gave up his daughter but he refused.

‘My children are with me, and I could give my life for them,’ proclaimed Qureshi. "I will never sell them to anybody, no matter how much money they offer me."

The young actress’s father then explained that he had told the police he believed the subterfuge could be part of a plot by Begum, who had only come back into Rubina’s life following her sudden stardom, to regain custody of her daughter.

Police officer Nishar Tamboli told reporters, ‘There are claims and counterclaims made by the mothers and the father.  We are probing the matter.’

 [ADD]