How a viral WhatsApp message turned girl's parents into 'kidnappers'

Baby Aarti has always been the apple of her parentsrsquo eyes However the chubby fouryearold attracted the attention of the police after a photo was circulated on WhatsApp showing her sitting beside footpathdwellers near Haji Ali raising suspicion whether the slumdwellers taking care of her were her actual parents The power of social media brought Mumbai Police to its knees and the Deputy Commissioner rushed to the spot his team later catching hold of one Bansi MarwariAlso Read Mumbai 6 months after complaint cops nab man for sending lewd WhatsApp messagesLeft Bansi Marwari with his wife Anita and their children Aarti and Krishna PicDatta KumbharHowever the truth behind their connection turned out to be touching It emerged that the curly haired browneyed tot is actually Bansirsquos daughter ldquoThis is not the first time her presence has raised suspicion over us She stands out among the people living here and thatrsquos the reason why everyone around keeps doubting if we are her real parentsrdquo said Bansi who is a daily wage worker at the stalls near Haji AliFrom left Anita Aarti Krishna and Bansi Marwari stand next to their home in Haji AliDad detainedHowever Bansirsquos claim of being Aartirsquos father was not enough for the cops who detained him at the local police chowkie A team was sent to check the records from the Tardeo Municipal School where Aarti has been enrolled for nursery school The staff there gave a copy of her birth certificate and the same was verified from the records of JJ HospitalAartirsquos school ID card She has been enrolled at the Tardeo Municipal SchoolDCP Pravin Padwal of Zone III who interrogated the couple said ldquoI had visited the school while my staff approached JJ Hospital for verification There is no doubt that Aarti is the daughter of the Marwari couple We have enquired with the neighbours too and they also confirmed itrdquo Bansi who is originally from Nadiar Kheda in Rajasthan came to Mumbai 25 years ago He began working with caterers and met his wife Anita who was also an employee there Anitarsquos previous husband had abandoned her and her son Adesh who is now 14 and works with local fishermenBaby Aarti sips on juiceMost preciousSpeaking to midday Bansi said ldquoFrom Anita I have a son named Krishna he studies in the seventh standard Aarti was born on February 23 2013 after the deaths of two baby girls She is the most precious thing to us We ensure all the comforts for her starting from food clothing and education Of the Rs 300 I earn every day I keep aside R100 in her name in the bankrdquoRead Story Bandra bungalow dispute 100plusstrong mob lured by WhatsApp jobThe parents say they never think twice about money when it comes to Aartirsquos health Anita who is suffering from a severe heart ailment compromises on her treatment but ensures that Aarti is in safe hands if she falls ill ldquoWe only refer her to private doctors if she falls sick There is no compromise on her healthrdquoEveryonersquos favouriteHolding her daughter tightly in her arms Anita said ldquoEarlier this year a foreigner approached and said that he wishes to adopt Aarti When I refused he even tried to bribe us with Rs 2 lakh Aarti is the favourite of all shopkeepers and other hutment dwellers in the area We fear for her safety at times We never let her stray from our sight even for a minute Once she grows a little older we will send her to my brotherinlawrsquos house in Rajasthanrdquo