Baby-selling, kidney trafficking racket busted: Tamil Nadu Gynaecologist arrested

Chennai: Busting a baby-selling and kidney trafficking racket in Tamil Nadu, the Tiruchengode police have arrested an obstetrician-gynaecologist and a broker for allegedly selling newborns to poor childless couples at Rs 5,000 for boys and Rs 3,000 for girls across the state.

Tamil Nadu Health Minister M Subramaniyan in Chennai speaking on the incident assured that after a thorough investigation, legal and department-wise action will be taken against those who indulge in infant selling and kidney trafficking.

The accused doctor has been identified as an obstetrician-gynaecologist at Tiruchengode Government Hospital who was arrested on Sunday along with the broker. They are currently in judicial custody.

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Subsequently, the doctor has been suspended by the directorate of medical services. It also emerged that the accused doctor owned two hospitals namely Sri Sigamani and Tamilarasu Hospital which are sealed now.

While investigating the employees of the hospital, the police discovered another broker, Balamani who is believed to have trained the accused broker in this case. Balamani was arrested in the evening on the same day for allegedly being involved in a baby-selling racket in Namakkal in 2020, TOI reports

According to Tiruchengode Police officials, "A couple was insisted by a woman to sell their newly born infant for Rs 2 lakhs. Based on the couple's complaint, Tiruchengode police registered a case and started the investigation. Preliminary investigation reveals that the broker has sold almost 7 infants and also sold kidneys in districts like Trichy, Tenkasi, and Madhurai".

Police officials also said special teams have been formed to find the connections in this infant and kidney sale, and more investigation is going on.

Speaking of the incident, Chennai Health Minister M Subramaniyan said, "Before a week, Namakkal Collector Dr Uma got mixed information about infant sales in Tiruchengode government hospital. Poor people who are waiting for a third child are being targeted and brainwashed to sell their child for Rs 5,000 for boys and Rs 3,000 for girls.

We also found that there is a broker for this, and after getting this information, Collector Uma had an investigation. It was found that this woman was a broker and has been indulging in these practices for a long time. She had been pursued by police for several days before she was apprehended and investigated. She accepted her mistake and also found that she was doing this with the help of the doctor".

M Subramaniyan also added, "We have asked to investigate from all angles whether there is any big group and how long this has been happening. It was also found in the preliminary investigation that, with infants, kidneys are also being sold by them. After a thorough investigation, legal and department-wise action will be taken against those who indulge in infant selling and kidney trafficking. The doctor is suspended and resting now. After the investigation, action will be further taken against the doctor."

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