Slumdog Kid Selling Scandal: Dad Blames Neighbor

The Slumdog Millionaire “kid for sale” scandal has taken a new twist after Rubina Ali’s father Rafiq Qureshi claimed that his neighbor tried to sell his daughter.

Quershi – who was allegedly caught on tape trying to sell the 9-year-old child star for $300,000 – has told media in India that he left his old phone with a neighbor called Salman. “I left my phone with Salman and those people must have called me and this man must have introduced himself as ‘Qureshi’ and demanded some money for Rubina and they must have recorded it,'' he said.

Qureshi claims his neighbor has been avoiding him and had been scolded by locals for his actions. Strangely though, Qureshi did not inform the police about Salman claiming he did not want him to get into trouble because he used to look after his daughter.

An Indian Child Welfare official was in attendance when Rubina gave a recorded statement at Nirmal Nagar Police Station following the sensational story in the UK’s News Of The World. After giving her statement Rubina confirmed that she and her father had visited a hotel and met with a couple who told her about visiting Dubai and that they would provide all the passports and other documents for her trip.

The girl’s entire family has denied the story but her biological mother, Khurshid, claims her husband did try to sell their daughter and when she heard about the story 15 days ago and she lodged a complaint with Nirmal Nagar police authorities.

Police and child welfare groups are still probing the story. (Photo: Getty Images)