Anima Indwar, an employee of the Nirmal Hriday home since 2012, was arrested the day before Sr. Concelia, in connection to the reported sale of the child. Indwar had been entrusted with escorting unwed mothers, their babies, and their guardians to the hospital and to the Child Welfare Committee (CWC) office when the religious sisters were engaged with other duties.
Police were tipped off to the possible sale when a couple complained to the CWC in Ranchi that they had paid for a baby boy who was then taken away from them. The couple reportedly paid Indwar 120,000 Indian rupees ($1,760) for the child. They complained that Indwar took their money in exchange for the child, and that she later took the child back from them, without returning the money.
In a video, Sister Concelia said she found out about the reported sale after being questioned about it by the CWC. She asked Indwar, who then allegedly admitted to having tried to sell the child. Sr. Concelia said she then alerted the authorities about the matter and said the baby should be brought back.
A police source said at the time that Indwar provided to police a handwritten note from Sister Concelia asking Indwar to take the blame on herself, Matters India reported at the time.
Some Catholic bishops of the country have questioned whether Sister Concelia is actually guilty of collaborating with Indwar in the sale, or whether she is the victim of a coerced confession.
"Nobody was allowed to meet Sister Konsalia in custody," Bishop Theodore Mascarenhas, Auxiliary Bishop of Ranchi, said at the time. "Her advocate could meet her on Wednesday, eight days after her arrest, only after we approached the court," he said July 12, according to the Hindustan Times. "During the 10 minutes interaction that the advocate could have with her, she said she was forced by the police to give her statement."