Rourkela: A 10-day-old girl was rescued by the District Child Protection Unit (DCPU), Bargarh, on Sunday after authorities received information that her parents had allegedly given her to another couple because of financial difficulties. Officials are probing whether money changed hands in what is suspected to be an illegal transfer of the newborn.The baby was produced before the Child Welfare Committee (CWC), Bargarh, on Sunday night and subsequently placed in a child care institution (CCI) in the district.Acting on information about the suspected illegal adoption or transfer of the newborn and instructions from the district child protection officer (DCPO), a Child Helpline-DCPU team visited the location along with the local anganwadi worker, ICDS supervisor of Bijepur and personnel from Bijepur police station.During the inquiry, officials found that a couple from the Bijepur police station area had taken custody of the baby from her biological parents from Bardol in Bargarh block.The biological mother told officials that she had delivered the girl, her third child, at Vimsar, Burla.The biological parents claimed that financial difficulties and their inability to care for their children adequately had prompted them to give the newborn to another couple, whom they described as known to them, for raising the child.The parents denied selling the baby or receiving any consideration in return. However, the DCPU has launched an inquiry to ascertain whether the newborn was sold. “We are also trying to ascertain whether the parents sold the baby to the couple because of their financial difficulties,” said DCPO Manju Ekka.Officials said the circumstances surrounding the transfer and custody of the baby raised concerns over the legality of the arrangement as well as the child’s protection and welfare. The DCPU team, in coordination with the ICDS functionaries and police, subsequently intervened.The team collected written statements and relevant documents before producing the baby before the CWC on Sunday night.