Amana with her two sons in Masratu village. Picture by Vishvendu Jaipuriar.

Hazaribagh, Aug. 1: A poor couple with four children here has been forced to hand over their youngest child, a two-and-half-month baby girl, to a childless couple, now residing in Saudi Arabia.

The tragic tale has received a twist, however, following allegations that the baby swap took place for a consideration and that Rs 70,000 changed hands in the deal.

Md Shamim and Amina Khatoon do not deny the fact that their youngest daughter was given away to Shamim Ahmed Khan and Taibya Khatoon.

Khan works in Saudi Arabia while his wife is a teacher in Mumbai. But the family vehemently denies any exchange of money.

Resident of Masrati in Kathkamsandi, Amina Khatoon, sobbed uncontrollably while admitting that the family found it difficult to feed their four children.

An addition to the family was not welcome and since the two-and-half-month-old child was a girl, the decision was taken to give her up to a couple well-off enough to care for her.

Her father-in-law also supported her and claimed that the family neither had a permanent job nor property to feed the additional member.

?I do not know what to say. The decision was very painful and was a hard choice but we had no other option. The baby would have died of malnutrition. Do you think it is better that she is now in good hands. At least, she will not have to deal with poverty from such a young age,? the old man told The Telegraph.

The swirling public debate has split public opinion vertically.

Even the facts appear hazy as Dr Kamruddin, a relative of the adopting couple, claimed vigorously that no money changed hands and that the ?adoption? was legal. The driver of the ambassador, which was used to ferry the baby, also claimed to have had no prior knowledge of the deal.

But he later was told by others that some money had been paid to the two middlemen who brokered the deal.