Did Hyderabad Police Uncover an Illegal Surrogacy Racket?

Hyderabad, July 29 (NationPress) - In a significant operation targeting unlawful fertility clinics following the dismantling of a surrogacy and baby-selling scheme, the police in Hyderabad executed searches at an unregistered fertility laboratory on Tuesday.

The North Zone Task Force, collaborating with the Clues team, gathered crucial evidence from the facility located in Regimental Bazar, Secunderabad.

Authorities, along with Health Department officials, confiscated items related to sperm samples collected from various individuals. They also seized important documents and records, including Aadhaar cards of sperm and egg donors along with others associated with the facility.

Following the raid, seven individuals were detained, including the manager of the centre, Pankaj Soni. Officials are interrogating him and others as part of their investigation into allegations of unauthorized reproductive procedures that violate the Assisted Reproductive Technology (Regulation) Act, 2021.

Among those detained are Sampath, the cashier, K. Srinu, an employee from Visakhapatnam, Jitender Kumavat from Indore, L. Shiva and P. Manikanta acting as brokers, as well as Kansri Boro, an egg donor from Assam.

A team from the office of the District Medical and Health Officer (DM&HO) initiated searches with police assistance on Monday night, which continued into Tuesday.

The facility was allegedly operating without registration from the District Registering Authority and was unlawfully collecting sperm and eggs.

There are serious allegations that the centre acquired sperm and eggs from daily wage workers, beggars, and passersby by offering them commission. These samples were purportedly sold to private healthcare establishments.

During the raid, officials discovered 17 sperm donors and 11 egg donors on the premises.

According to officials, the centre was managed by unqualified personnel. Following a formal complaint to the Gopalapuram police, a case was filed under Sections 21, 26, and 27 of the Assisted Reproductive Technology (Regulation) Act, 2021.

Health authorities have initiated a crackdown on surrogacy and IVF centres functioning without proper registration.

It is suspected that numerous unregistered fertility centres are operating throughout Telangana, preying on vulnerable couples. The state boasts 381 registered centres, with 158 situated within the limits of Greater Hyderabad.

Officials are also conducting inspections at registered centres to ensure compliance with the Assisted Reproductive Technology (Regulation) Act, 2021.

This crackdown follows the recent bust of an illegal surrogacy and baby-selling racket by the Gopalapuram police, leading to the arrest of a doctor and nine accomplices.

Dr. Athaluri Namratha, also known as Pachipala Namratha, the owner of Universal Shristhi Fertility Centre in Secunderabad, was arrested on charges of orchestrating a large-scale illegal surrogacy and fertility scam.

The scandal emerged when a couple filed a complaint after DNA tests revealed that the child born through a surrogate arranged by the fertility centre was not biologically theirs.

Investigations indicated that the couple was redirected to another branch of the clinic in Visakhapatnam for specimen collection and were assured that the surrogate would be arranged by the clinic, with the embryo transplanted into her.

Last month, the couple received a baby boy, claiming the surrogate had delivered him in Visakhapatnam. The clinic charged the couple over Rs 35 lakh in consultation fees for the procedures.

Investigations further revealed that the couple was handed a child born to another couple from Assam, whose parents were also implicated in the arrests.