Rafiq Qureshi Tried to Sell Slumdog Daughter Rubina Ali

The father, Rafiq Qureshi, of Slumdog star Rubina Ali has denied a report in Britain’s News of the World that he was prepared to place his 9-year-old daughter up for adoption for $300,000. Qureshi describes the article as:

"A lie made up by foreign journalists playing games with me."

The newspaper reported that Rafiq Qureshi, 36, demanded money after it had sent reporters posing as wealthy people from Dubai who said they wished to adopt a child.

Qureshi’s brother Moiuddin, who was present at the late-night meeting at a luxury Mumbai hotel, is reported to have insisted on an even higher figure for the transaction – the original offer was said to be about $75,000, because of Rubina’s fame. By Monday, Reuters was reporting that Mumbai police were investigating the entire incident.

News of the World, which published a photo of its reporters with Rubina and her father meeting together, reported the uncle as saying:

"The child is special now. This is not an ordinary child. This is an Oscar child!"

Qureshi said that there had been an offer but insisted that he had feigned interest out of politeness and a reluctance to appear cold and unfriendly. He said, "In India, you never say ’no’ directly, least of all to guests. You try not to offend people by refusing to help. They said they were childless and desperately fond of Rubina after seeing her in the film. I felt sorry for them, but I was never going to give her up."

Queshi and his daughter live with his second wife Meena and their six other children in Garib Nagar (Poor Man’s Colony), a sprawling slum in Mumbai, though in February it as reported that Indian government authorities were providing new residences for Rubina and her young costar in the movie, Azhar Ismail.

In reference to the News of the World story, which has been picked up around the world, an angry Meena said:

"We are poor, yes, but not so poor that we have to sell our children. The whole thing is a lie."

Rubina backed up her father’s statement, calling the News of the World report untrue. "I trust my father. He loves me. He has never said that he wants to give me up," she said. "I did meet an uncle and auntie in a big hotel but it was not about adoption. I will never give any foreign journalist an interview again."

A lie? Qureshi did "feign interest" in selling his daughter. The fact Qureshi is a good thing, but he even said himself he was considering the sale. We can’t judge Qureshi, because he has to decide what is best for his very poor family, and his daughter who he wants to have a better life.