Rafiq Qureshi, the father of Slumdog Millionaire starlet Rubina Ali, has been arrested over claims that he tried to sell his daughter for 200,000 pounds.

A complaint from the 36-year-old man’s ex-wife initiated the arrest.

Amidst allegations that Quereshi tried to sell Rubina to a Dubai based couple for Rs 1.80 crore, the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights had swung into action asking for a report on the incident from the Mumbai police.

NCPCR chairperson Shanta Sinha shot off a letter to the Mumbai police commissioner, a day after an international news website publicised a sting operation where Qureshi was captured negotiating for his daughter. Both Qureshi and Rubina have denied the allegation.

Sinha said, “I have spoken to the police commissioner and asked for a report in a week’s time. We will look at how things are moving and send our team to investigate the matter.”The commission members — who had taken suo moto cognisance of the case — felt that since the police was investigating the case, they would wait for the report and take action only after examining it..”

Rubina’s mother Khurshida claimed she knew two weeks ago of the intended child-trade with a rich Dubai sheikh.

However, she added: “My elder daughter had informed me…I did not believe he would actually go through with it.”

Khurshida dubbed her ex-hubby and his new wife Mina as “money-crazy” and desperate to cash-in on the nine-year-old’s fame.

Police official Prakash Salunke, who is leading the investigation, said: “Khursida was very upset by the media reports and she came to lodge a complaint.”