Mum brands 'Slumdog' dad "evil"

The mother of 'Slumdog Millionaire' star Rubina Ali has blasted her ex-husband over allegations he attempted to sell the nine-year-old.

Rafiq Qureshi was quizzed by police in Mumbai, India earlier this week after British newspaper News of the World alleged he offered to auction off the nine-year-old for $300,000.

He was subsequently released without charge due to lack of evidence, according to local authorities.

Rubina's mother Khursheed, who abandoned the family in 2001, claimed she learned of the alleged sale two weeks ago and alerted cops to investigate.

She has now spoken out about the alleged incident - branding her ex-husband "evil" and accusing him and his new wife of turning the tiny actress against her.

She says: "Rafiq is evil. He should be jailed for what he has done. When I saw Rubina this week she accused me of abandoning her. But that is not true, she has been brainwashed."

Qureshi protested his innocence throughout the scandal, telling People.com the story was a "lie made up by foreign journalists playing games with me".