Photo from NYdailynews.com

Good news in the Rubina Ali story.  Ali’s father, Rafiq Qureshi, was arrested yesterday for allegations that he tried to sell his daughter to a Dubai Sheikh for almost $300,000.

Qureshi is claiming that the allegations are false.  “I politely said Rubina is happy with me and wanted to leave. After this they made an offer of money in English which I did not understand,” explained her father.

After reporters posed as a wealthy Middle Eastern family interested in buying a girl, on Monday, Britain’s News of the World reported that Ali was originally being sold for $75,000, but her father raised the price after the success of Slumdog.

After learning of Qureshi’s arrest, the producers of “Slumdog Millionaire” stepped in to help the little girl.  They have now hired a social worker to look after her.

Producer Christian Colson released a statement today saying, “Both Danny [Boyle, the director] and I remain committed to working the the trust and the family to secure Rubina’s long-term best interests.”