Father denies 'selling' Slumdog Millionaire star for £200,000
The father of a child actress in the film Slumdog Millionaire is offering to sell her for £200,000, it was claimed yesterday.
Rafiq Qureshi, who lives in poverty in Mumbai, reportedly attempted to trade nine-year-old Rubina Ali in an illegal adoption deal.
Rubina played the young heroine Letika in the movie, which has grossed £185million worldwide and swept the board at the Oscars.
The claims were made following a 'sting' operation by the News of the World, which said it had been alerted that the child was for sale in a tip-off from a former family neighbour.
It was reported that the little girl, her father and uncles all went to a hotel to meet the 'prospective buyers', supposedly a family from Dubai, to discuss the deal in detail.
Confronted about the story yesterday, Rafiq Qureshi angrily denied that he was trying to sell Rubina, instead insisting that he was discussing a film role.
A source close to the family told the Daily Mail: 'Rafiq was told to bring Rubina to the hotel, where a rich man wanted to discuss a job with him.
'He happily agreed because Rubina can earn good money since her Slumdog success. She has had many movie offers. Rafiq didn't understand everything that was being said to him but he was happy to discuss money for a wellpaying job for his daughter. He loves her like any father loves his daughter.
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