India: Slumdog life. The Other Side

THIS IS SPECIAL, AN OSCAR CHILD. SO WE NOW WANT £200,000

By Mazher Mahmood, 19/04/2009
News of the World, London.


THE poverty-stricken father of Slumdog Millionaire child star Rubina Ali plans to become a millionaire himself-by SELLING his nine-year-old daughter.

In a bid to escape India's real-life slums, Rafiq Qureshi put angel-faced darling of the Oscars Rubina up for adoption, demanding millions of rupees worth £200,000.

As he offered the shocking deal to the News of the World's undercover fake sheik this week, Rafiq declared: "I have to consider what's best for me, my family and Rubina's future."

Rafiq tried to blame Hollywood bosses for forcing him to put his daughter up for SALE.

As he tried to fix the illegal adoption deal, real-life slum dweller Rafiq declared: "We've got nothing out of this film."

Then, almost embarrassed to speak it out loud, he whispered to an accomplice the price tag he has put on his innocent young daughter: "It's £200,000!"

That was an astonishing FOURFOLD increase on his opening demand. But Rafiq's equally demanding brother Mohiuddin insisted: "The child is special now. This is NOT an ordinary child.

This is an Oscar child!"

Dad Rafiq is desperate to cash in on their nine-year-old's success in the blockbuster film by selling her to the highest bidder.

He sees it as his family's escape route from the notorious Bandra slum sprawl of Mumbai.
Rafiq revealed his scheme to undercover News of the World reporters posing as a wealthy family from Dubai.

We travelled to Mumbai to expose the illegal sale after a tip-off from a concerned close family friend and former neighbour.

Shockingly, this sort of transaction is far from unusual in an impoverished nation where human life comes cheap and children are often treated as a commodity.

Rubina won the hearts of film-lovers around the world playing young Latika in British director Danny Boyle's movie that picked up eight Oscars and a pile of other glittering awards. It tells the rags to riches story of a young man from the slums who wins the Indian version of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?

Filmed in Mumbai's seething pauper ghetto it depicts starkly true scenes of poverty and child cruelty, where young orphans are blinded and crippled by Fagin-like thugs and forced to beg on the streets. And with a staggering 11 million children abandoned in India every year, there is no shortage of young prey.

Our informant, now a city tour guide, told us: "Rubina's family are furious that despite the film doing so well and their pretty daughter becoming so famous, they are still living in such rough conditions.

"They were approached by one wealthy Middle Eastern family who saw their plight in an item on Al Jazeera TV. The couple expressed an interest in adopting young Rubina and her parents' eyes lit up.

"Dad Rafiq is streetwise and knows that soon his daughter's success will be forgotten and her moment of fame will be over. He has a family to feed and simply can't afford it. He is keen to find a rich family to bring up Rubina but only if they are willing to help the whole family to get out of the slums.

"The Middle East family were moved to tears by the plight of the young orphans shown in the film and fell in love with Rubina.

"Just as Western stars like Madonna do, they want to adopt children from poor areas and give them a better life.

"This family wanted to take Rubina abroad. They agreed to come to Mumbai to discuss the adoption in May.

"But the approach has made Rafiq very greedy and he has said that he will consider the highest offer for his child. But they realise that the money will soon stop coming in and Rafiq is open to all offers."

Our investigator made contact with Rafiq and said we had heard he was considering having Rubina adopted. He told Rafiq he was acting for a wealthy Arab sheik who wanted to take the youngster to live with him 2,000 miles away in Dubai.

Rafiq replied: "Yes, we are considering Rubina's future.

"Why don't you speak to my brother-in-law, Rajan, and he will discuss it with you? I will ask him to call you."
After contacting us, Rubina's uncle Rajan More - who speaks good English - confirmed: "Yes, we are interested in securing our girl's future.

"Rubina's life is miserable and she lives here with her stepmother. Most of the time she stays with me because she is not happy at her parents' home.

"Obviously if you wanted to adopt we could discuss this, but her parents would also expect some proper compensation in return. We are talking of around £50,000 for this to happen." In another phone call, father Rafiq coolly confirmed: "Whatever you have discussed with Rajan, I agree with. Whatever money is agreed by Rajan, I will accept.

"We can discuss everything about this deal when we meet. There's a lot of interest in Rubina, she's become very famous."

Without querying the background, intentions, or even the names of Rubina's prospective new parents, Rafiq arranged to meet us.

And as soon as we said the wealthy family lived in the United Arab Emirates Rafiq suggested: "We would love to come there.

"I have never been there but I have seen it in Indian films. It looks a great place."

Trafficking of poor Indian children to the Middle East, where they are forced to risk their lives as camel jockeys or subjected to sexual abuse, is common in the Mumbai slums. But that did not deter Rafiq.

His first plan was to bring Rubina plus other relatives to visit us in Dubai to discuss the deal. But he had to scrap the idea because he could not get a passport. He is disqualified because he is facing police charges over a knife attack.

That is why he did not accompany Rubina to the Oscars ceremony and her Uncle Mohiuddin went instead.

Rafiq tried to shrug off the problem, claiming: "There is a case against me but it's nothing. I'm trying to get it sorted now. In India you can buy anything if you have money!"

His Plan B was the meeting in Mumbai fixed for Thursday evening. But he arrived late with his little daughter at the luxurious Leela Kempinski hotel at 11.35pm, when most children her age would be in bed.

Also tagging along were trusted sidekick Rajan More, Rafiq's brother Mohiuddin, a friend called Dinesh Dubey and two young nephews. "They were all keen to see what the hotel looks like inside," explained Rajan as he entered the £480-a-night suite.

Smiling broadly, Rubina, who was wearing a torn orange and white Indian dress, looked around the room in amazement. She was proudly clutching her new Nokia mobile phone, a gift from a well-wisher.

She said: "My house is as big as the toilet you have here. We live in Gharib Nagar (Poor Man's Colony)."

As the young VIP ordered strawberry milk shake and ice-cream, dad Rafiq proudly told how his daughter clinched the part in the international blockbuster film.

"One of our neighbours where we live took her to the audition," he said. "Around 1,500 kids turned up and my daughter passed. The film took over a year to make and she worked on it for a month."

Slumdog has been a roaring success, raking in a staggering £185 million at box offices around the world.

But Rafiq, 36, again complained: "They haven't looked after us. They gave some money at the start but they gave us nothing afterwards. They gave us around 150,000 rupees (£2,040).

They've been talking about giving us a house, but all they do is talk." Rubina chipped in: "But I did get toys. When we were filming in Juhu beach I got some crayons."

In fact Danny Boyle and producer Christian Colson have set up a trust to ensure Rubina gets a proper education, is well housed and receives support dealing with media attention.

It was reported that Rafiq had spent some of his daughter's film fees on medical treatment to a leg he broke while working as a carpenter. He also used her cash to buy a new mobile phone for himself so agents can contact him to discuss work offers for his daughter. Rafiq has two other children - Sana, aged 13 and six-year-old Abbass - as well as another baby on the way by Rubina's stepmum Munni. Street-kid Rubina is one of only a handful of youngsters who attend school in her neighbourhood.

Rafiq added: "What they showed in the film is exactly how life is here. The government doesn't help us. We get nothing.

"We live in one room, seven of us sleep on the floor. I earn £2 to £3 a day. I have to consider what's best for me, my family and Rubina's future."

A fortnight ago Rubina and fellow child actor Azharuddin Ismail were each given a £12,000 luxury apartment by Slumdog sound engineer Rasul Pookutty. The property in Kerala, south India, was awarded to Rasul - who himself escaped poverty - by the local council in honour of his Oscar achievement.

But Rafiq dismissed the gesture, complaining: "We haven't got anything yet, it's all supposed to come later. It's all talk. It's being built, it'll take a year to be finished."

And Rafiq insisted he had no intention of moving to Kerala, even when the apartment is complete.

"I won't move," he said. "I can never leave Mumbai. My childhood was here, everything I know is here in Mumbai."

As Rafiq spoke, Rubina excitedly looked around the suite, giggling and pointing out a large plasma TV on the wall to her 13-year-old cousin Mohsin.

Then she spoke about her new-found stardom. "I like being famous," she said. "Everyone where I live knows me and likes me now. Some people who I don't even know shout my name wherever I go - 'Rubina, Rubina'!"

She proudly told us how she had worked with the stars on Slumdog and with "Uncle Danny (Boyle)".

When our female investigator, posing as a princess - the sheik's wealthy wife - handed Rubina three boxes of chocolates, she was thrilled. She shrieked with delight as we gave her a silver pendant.

"Can I stay in your bedroom?" asked the innocent youngster. "I've never seen a bed like this in real life. I've seen one like it in films though.

"Where we live there are all poor people. That's why the area is called Poor Man's Colony. There are all small huts, sewers and gutters, and sometimes the dirty water comes in the house. And there are lots of creepy-crawlies. I'm scared of spiders and mosquitoes. Our house is very small. We sleep on the floor."

As Rubina jumped on the bed and played with the TV remote, her cousins tucked into a bowl of fruit and ice-cream.

Flicking through the channels, Rubina said: "Our TV is clapped out. It hardly works. The sound keeps going, especially when my favourite songs are on."

Excitedly she added: "I'm going to be in a TV advert with a famous English actress soon!" In fact, she recently finished filming a soft drink commercial with Australian star Nicole Kidman. It was shot in India and Rafiq pocketed £2,000 for Rubina's performance.

Rubina was completely unaware she had been brought to the hotel by the men she trusted, those who should love and protect her, to discuss her SALE. We made certain throughout that Rubina did not know she was being offered for adoption in return for cash.

Rubina believed that she was merely at the hotel to meet a wealthy movie fan who wanted to present her with chocolates.

As midnight passed, our undercover reporter pointed out to Rafiq that it would be a good idea to take his youngster home to bed. Together with his entourage, Rafiq eventually left just before 1am.

"We can talk other matters tomorrow," said Rafiq, as he arranged to return to our suite to discuss business. He then asked for 1,000 Rupees (£13) to cover his cab fare back to the slums.

As Rubina left she asked our man: "Uncle, can I come here again as well? Please, please!"
On the way out Uncle Rajan, a burly man in his fifties with his hair and moustache dyed jet black, also had a request.

He pulled our reporter to one side and said: "Besides Rubina, if you are interested in having a young boy then I can arrange that. There are several available for adoption. Obviously you won't have to pay anything like the money for Rubina. Have a think and let me know then I can arrange for you to meet the children and choose the one you prefer."

Although illegal, India's sickening baby trade is widespread. Last year we revealed how a local social worker was exploiting dirt poor families and selling their kids for £1,500 a time. She even lined up a poverty-stricken mother willing to sell her unborn child for just £1,000.

On Friday, yet more of Rubina's family, friends and even a neighbour's kid joined the outing from the slums to the Leela hotel to meet our reporters.

This time the 13-strong party included Rubina's 28-year old stepmum Munni Qureshi, who is three months' pregnant. Staff at the plush hotel looked on bemused as the kids began staging races along the corridor and lobby.

Meanwhile, Rafiq, Rajan and Mohiuddin headed to our suite to talk business. Rubina, in white blouse and jeans, sat next to her dad and Uncle Rajan on the cream sofa, still unaware her fate was being decided by them.

To save her discovering the truth our man suggested she go next door and play with "the princess" - our female investigator.

Then the men, got straight down to business. "Let's talk openly," urged Rajan. Our reporter said his boss the sheik was willing to adopt Rubina and take her to Dubai and asked the men what their demands were.

Rajan explained that no deal could go ahead for a few weeks because the family have been promised a house by the Indian government. If Rubina went abroad they would lose the house.

The governing Indian Congress Party president Sonia Gandhi - currently campaigning for the general elections later this month - has vowed to help them find a home.

Calculating Rajan explained: "Rafiq is about to get a property which will be in his name after Rubina is 18, so it'll take a bit of time. The other thing is about the amount. He wants to tell you. Listen to him." Rafiq looked visibly uncomfortable and returned to the theme of the free government house.

"We need time, until after the elections," he insisted. "We need two or three months."

Again Rajan chipped in: "You have to give time. . . you have to wait. Until then we can negotiate the amount. We'll come to Dubai, the girl will come and go."

Rafiq said he too would be able to get his hands on a passport but only if we paid Rajan 35,000 rupees (£475) to bribe an official. "It'll be ready in eight days," said Rajan.

After all the extra demands our man asked about the final price for the adoption. And that's when they upped their demand over FOUR-FOLD. "Just tell them," said Rajan. Coyly Rafiq insisted: "You say it." Then Rajan said: "Whisper in my ear!"

Eventually Rajan announced: "It's 20 million rupees, £200,000." (In fact 20 million rupees is £270,000, but their calculations were wrong.)

When reminded that this deal was illegal, Rajan promised: "This discussion will not go beyond the three of us." Asked if Rubina's birth mother Khursheed might object and interfere, Rafiq insisted he had divorced her seven years ago and that she had no rights on the child.

"It's nothing to do with her," he said. And brother Rajan chimed in: "She's nothing! It's over!"
In fact Rafiq's family have been involved in a bitter row with Khursheed, who walked out on Rafiq when Rubina was just four. She showed up in the slums to reclaim her daughter on her return from the Oscar ceremony in February.

Rafiq and Khursheed had to be pulled apart after brawling. Khursheed also had a catfight with new wife Munni. Rubina has had little contact with her real mum.

When our man asked Rafiq if he had any questions about the proposed adoption he said calmly: "No, there's nothing more to say."

With the deal seemingly struck the party headed down to the imposing hotel lobby, decorated with a huge chandelier, for a buffet lunch.

Two of Rubina's pals were larking about doing headstands in the lobby as Rubina slid along the shiny marble floor to the restaurant. "Come on, everybody follow me!" she shouted. "We're having dinner here. I'll tell you what to do!"

The party - all in the dark about the deal except the dad and two uncles - were escorted to a long dining table in the lavish restaurant.

Stepmum Munni, wearing a white sari, sat with her feet up on the chair until her husband told her to sit properly. Then they all raced to the buffet, piling their plates high with food - a change from their usual diet of cheap rice and lentils.

"We can eat anything we like here," said Rubina excitedly.

After several main courses the party descended on the desserts, washing it all down with glasses of mango juice - each one costing more than Rafiq earns in a day.

Delighted Rubina grabbed our man by his arm and told him: "You are the best uncle ever!"
Touchingly she then took photos of everything from the food to the hotel armchairs on her mobile phone, to remind herself of her big day out. "This hotel is like the big ones in America," she said. "One day can I stay in an hotel like this?"

But after dinner it was back to reality. The group clambered into two people-carriers to be ferried back to the slums.

On Friday evening Rajan met our undercover reporter again - to escort him to another shanty town to tout two MORE children for sale.

In the coastal Mumbai suburb of Madh Island, an hour's drive from Rubina's home, several thousand people live in a similar sprawling slum. Rajan led our man thorough the dirty narrow streets to another single room shack where decorator Akbar Khan lives with his wife and four children. There was just one straw bed in the cramped room.

"Look at the pretty girl over there and see if you think she is suitable," whispered Rajan as he pointed to a nervous 10-year old called Rukhsar.

"This family want to have their daughter adopted. They have three girls and a son and cannot survive on their income. Take a photo to see if the sheik likes the look of her."

Outside in the rubbish-filled alley soft-spoken dad Akbar begged: "Please consider my daughter for adoption. We are poor people and want her to have a better future."

Later conniving Rajan added: "I can let you have their girl, or you can take their seven-year old boy. These people are desperately hard-up and will take less money."

Last night Rajan phoned us and demanded: "Have you decided which child you want besides Rubina? If you want these kids we have to get moving straight away."

The News of the World yesterday contacted Save The Children, a charity with a strong presence in Mumbai, to seek their help with Rubina's case.

Director of Campaigns Adrian Lovett said: "Save the Children pays tribute to the News of the World for highlighting this awful reality. We will do all we can to help Rubina.

"The Indian government must sign up to the International Labour Organisation's convention for abolishing the worst forms of child labour and trafficking."