Another surrogacy racket busted in Hyderabad; 6 fertility clinics under lens

Hyderabad: Nearly three weeks after an illegal surrogacy and baby-selling racket was busted, leading to the arrest of a gynaecologist and several others, another major racket of commercial surrogacy and illegal human egg trading has surfaced in Hyderabad's Petbasheerabad. A mother-son duo, allegedly the masterminds behind the racket, along with six others, have been arrested in connection with the racket.

Investigations have revealed that the racket was operating in collusion with multiple fertility centres across Hyderabad. At least six fertility centres are under the police scanner for suspected links with the accused, though their names have not yet been disclosed. Regarding their involvement, the police will issue notices to the fertility centres soon.

According to the police, the two arrested masterminds have been identified as 45-year-old Narreddula Laxmi Reddy, hailing from Andhra Pradesh’s Chilakluripeta and his son, 27-year-old Narender Reddy, a chemical engineering graduate from Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University (JNTU), reports Deccan Chronicle.

Also read- 2 more doctors arrested in Hyderabad baby-selling racket

While the woman is the prime accused in the case, her son is the assistant who helped her run the racket. Both of them exploited childless couples for illegal monetary gain. They acted as agents, allegedly luring financially vulnerable women from Bidar in Karnataka and various districts of Andhra Pradesh to become surrogate mothers or egg donors, which is banned in the country.

In a press release from Cyberabad Police, a special police team on Friday conducted a raid on a premises under the Pet-Basheerabad Police Station limits in the presence of the District Medical and Health Officer, acting on reliable information, reports PTI.

During the operation, the two accused persons were apprehended. The ongoing investigation revealed that the prime accused, the woman agent, had earlier worked as an egg donor and surrogate mother. Using her experience and network of contacts with other agents, fertility clinics, and centres, she began recruiting women to act as egg donors or surrogate mothers and referred them to the different fertility centres.

For each successful procedure, she collected substantial amounts. She targeted financially vulnerable women, persuaded them to donate eggs or become surrogates, and kept them at her residence, collecting additional maintenance charges from the hospitals, the release said. Her son assisted her in running the illegal business, which served as their sole source of income.

The donors and surrogate mothers involved were aware that commercial surrogacy is prohibited by law, but were part of it for financial gain. As a result, notices have been issued to six surrogate mothers and egg donors.

The six others arrested in the case are the surrogate mothers who are currently at a state-run shelter home. Additionally, at least two women became pregnant after they were approached by the accused. The district health department has been directed to monitor their health and extend medical support.

Officials also noted that some women had been forced into repeated surrogacy, causing serious deterioration in their health. During the raid, the police seized a diary that contained the details of around 50 women linked to the racket, as per a Deccan Chronicle media report.

"The unborn children will be handed over to their biological parents, though legal action against them will be decided after obtaining a legal opinion," said a police officer.

A case was registered against the accused under relevant sections of the Surrogacy Regulation Act, Assisted Reproductive Technology Act and BNS Act. Efforts are underway to identify and apprehend other persons connected to the illegal racket. Similarly, the alleged involvement of the fertility clinics and centres is also under investigation.

Medical Dialogues had earlier reported how Hyderabad police arrested eight individuals, including a fertility specialist and the owner of a chain of clinics across Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. Dr. A. Namratha was the prime accused doctor and the owner of the fertility clinic. The racket came to light after a couple discovered through a DNA test that the child, supposedly born through surrogacy, was not theirs, prompting them to approach the police.

The doctor, along with associates and agents, reportedly targeted vulnerable women, particularly those seeking abortions, and lured them into continuing pregnancies in exchange for money and other reasons, police said. These newborns were then passed off as children conceived through surrogacy, misleading clients into believing the babies were biologically theirs.

Also read- Hyderabad Surrogacy racket busted: Doctor, 7 others arrested in baby-selling scam