MUMBAI (AFP)
Indian police said Thursday they had not found any evidence so far to substantiate claims that the father of "Slumdog Millionaire" child actress Rubina Qureshi tried to sell her for adoption.
"We have not registered a case against Rubina Qureshi's father and are still continuing with investigations," senior police officer Nisar Tamboli was quoted as saying by the domestic Press Trust of India news agency.
"Slumdog Millionaire," a rags-to-riches tale of children from the slums of Mumbai, won eight Oscars in February, including the best picture Academy Award.
" We have not registered a case against Rubina Qureshi's father and are still continuing with investigations " Police officer Nisar Tamboli Police opened an investigation into whether Rafiq Qureshi tried to sell his nine-year-old daughter after a report this weekend in a British tabloid newspaper.
The News of World alleged that Qureshi demanded 20 million rupees ($400,000) for Rubina during a meeting with an undercover newspaper reporter posing as a wealthy Arab sheikh.
He allegedly complained that the family had not made any money out of the Oscar-winning film, in which Rubina plays the younger version of one of the central characters, Latika, and were still living in poverty in Mumbai's slums.
The newspaper published pictures of the actress, her father and uncle posing with their undercover reporter, plus video clips of Qureshi and his brother-in-law during their meeting last week.
Qureshi accepts that he met the "sheikh" at a hotel in the city, but denies agreeing to sell his daughter. |
