Gujarat woman raped after husband sells her for Rs 50,000 as he 'disliked' her
The accused husband had initially filed a missing complaint about his wife but he himself disappeared two days after reporting the matter, which raised police doubts, prompting the ongoing probe.
In an alleged case of human trafficking and sexual assault reported from Gujarat’s Banaskantha district, police have arrested seven people, including a woman’s husband, for allegedly selling her for Rs 50,000 and subjecting her to abuse. The survivor, identified as a 26-year-old woman, was allegedly trafficked by her husband, Nikeshbhai Vanlalbhai Patel, who said he ‘disliked’ and wanted to dispose of her.
According to the Banaskantha Police, the case surfaced during an investigation launched by the Palanpur City West Police Station after Patel initially filed a missing person complaint on May 11, 2026, claiming that his wife had disappeared from their residence in Palanpur.
However, investigators grew suspicious after Patel himself allegedly went missing within two days of filing the complaint.
His father later lodged another missing person report at the Palanpur East police station, prompting a deeper probe into the matter.
Deputy Superintendent of Police Jignesh Gamit said the unusual sequence of events raised suspicion during the investigation.
“Within two days of the complaint, the husband himself went missing, following which his father filed another missing person complaint at the Palanpur East police station. This sequence of events raised suspicion during the investigation,” he said.
The investigation, conducted under the guidance of senior Banaskantha police officials including Inspector General of Police Akshayraj Makwana, later revealed that the case involved the alleged sale of the woman.
During police interrogation, the accused husband allegedly admitted that he wanted to “dispose of” his wife because he did not like her.
Police said Patel, acting in collusion with his associates Sanjay Thakor, Ashok Thakor and Sachin Darbar, allegedly sold the woman to other individuals for Rs 50,000.
Based on technical surveillance and human intelligence inputs, police successfully traced the woman and arrested the accused involved in the case.
The survivor alleged that after being trafficked, she was held captive, repeatedly sexually assaulted, and stripped of her jewellery, which was later allegedly sold by the accused to local jewellers.
Following her statement, police registered a case under sections pertaining to human trafficking, fraud, criminal conspiracy and other relevant offences.
Officials said further investigation into the alleged trafficking network, the sale of the survivor’s jewellery and the specific role of each accused is currently underway.
Police further stated that Nikesh Patel has a criminal background and had allegedly been involved in earlier incidents related to luring and abducting women despite being married.
Authorities said those past cases are also being examined as part of the ongoing investigation.