DUBAI // A man who kidnapped his married friend's newborn baby and threatened to jump from his hotel window while holding her pleaded not guilty to abduction yesterday because, he said, he is the child's father.
The 35-year-old Indian tourist, SS, was charged at the Dubai Criminal Court of First Instance with the kidnap of a six-day-old baby girl from her mother on November 27 last year.
SS, who was drunk at the time of the incident, has also been charged with the illegal consumption of alcohol and threatening the mother of the child.
On the day of the kidnapping, SS went to visit JN, the 35-year-old mother of the child.
JN told prosecutors SS had called asking if he could meet the child. She agreed, but when he arrived at her home he was drunk so she asked him to wait downstairs.
"I went and sat with him in the car and allowed him to hold the baby," she said. "I realised that I left the baby's bonnet in the apartment so I left her with him and went to fetch it. By the time I got back he was gone," she said.
SS then called JN to tell her had taken the baby to the Amwaj Rotana hotel in Jumeirah Beach Residence, where he was staying.
"When I arrived I asked for his room number and went up there, worried about my baby," she said. "I tried to take her from him but he pushed me to the floor. He said he would jump out of the window with the baby if I did not leave."
While JN was at the hotel reception asking for help, she saw SS getting into a taxi.
"I ran to the cab and jumped in the back seat pleading with him. The driver dropped us off on Sheikh Zayed Road," she said.
The two argued before SS stopped another taxi and returned to the hotel with the baby.
JN's husband, AR told prosecutors: "When I arrived at the hotel I asked my wife why the police had not been called and the manager told me this was a family matter and police should not be involved."
When police did arrive, they convinced SS to get into their car with the child and accompany them to the police station, where he was arrested.
SS remains in custody and the court will reconvene on February 15.