In Hyderabad, a pair of parents discover that their surrogate child bears no genetic relation to them; a medical professional is among the ten individuals detained as a result of this investigation.
Breaking News: Hyderabad Police Bust Illegal Surrogacy and Baby-Selling Racket
Hyderabad, India - Hyderabad police have uncovered an extensive illegal surrogacy and baby-selling racket centered around the Universal Srushti Fertility Centre in Secunderabad. The clinic, operated by Dr. Athaluri Namratha, has been at the heart of this illicit operation.
Investigation and Arrests
The police arrested Dr. Namratha, 64, her son (a lawyer), and six others, including doctors, agents, and the biological parents of newborns involved. The arrests came after complaints and investigations revealed that the clinic itself was operating illegally with a cancelled license since 2021.
Modus Operandi
The clinic charged couples high fees (around Rs 30–40 lakh) for IVF and surrogacy treatments. However, no actual surrogacy was done. Instead, poor parents (notably a couple from Assam residing in Hyderabad) were paid low sums (around Rs 90,000) to give their newborns to the clinic, which then fraudulently presented these babies as surrogate-born to the paying clients with falsified documents.
Involvement of Branches and Agents
Although the main center in Secunderabad was the hub, the clinic operated branches in Vijayawada, Visakhapatnam, Kondapur, Kolkata, and Odisha. Police raided the Vijayawada branch but found it closed and doctors absconding. Authorities are investigating whether other centers and agents were involved, suspecting a wider network given the scale and presence across multiple cities.
Clinical and Legal Violations
The clinic was found illegally using various medical equipment, including IVF tools and even sex determination devices, without authorization or properly trained medical staff. They forged IVF records, issued fake birth certificates, and manipulated clients to maintain the illusion of surrogate births.
Current Status of Infants
One infant delivered in June 2025 in Visakhapatnam reportedly was refused custody by the couple who paid for the surrogacy after DNA tests proved no biological link. The infant is in government care, and if no one claims the child within two months, he may be declared legally free for adoption.
Collaboration with Indian Sperm Tech
The fertility centre was found to be collaborating with an unlicensed firm named Indian Sperm Tech. Pankaj Soni, the regional manager of Indian Sperm Tech, along with six other individuals were arrested for their alleged involvement in sourcing and shipping reproductive material across states.
The Case Unfolds
The operation allegedly involved luring poor people into surrogacy and the illicit inter-state transfer of reproductive materials. A woman was brought from Hyderabad to Visakhapatnam by flight for the delivery, with Dr Namratha allegedly convincing the couple that the baby born to this woman was theirs through surrogacy.
The investigation has unveiled a deeply entrenched interstate network, involving the illegal collection and transportation of sperm and eggs to other states, including Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh.
Next Steps
Authorities are working to uncover the full extent of this illicit operation, including potential violations of the Assisted Reproductive Technology (Regulation) Act, surrogacy laws, and other medical ethics regulations. They suspect that more fertility centres and agents may be involved in this widespread network.
This case highlights a grave exploitation where vulnerable women’s newborns were trafficked and sold under the guise of surrogacy. The authorities continue to probe if there are more victims and further illegal surrogacy/fertility centres or agents involved in this racket.
[1] The New Indian Express [2] The Times of India [3] Hindustan Times
- The ongoing investigation into the illegal surrogacy and baby-selling racket in Hyderabad sheds light on the importance of regulating health-and-wellness practices such as fertility clinics, given the potential medical-conditions and crime-and-justice implications they pose.
- As the Hyderabad surrogacy racket case continues to unfold, the broader issue of general-news surrounding the ethical implications of science and technology, particularly in the field of reproductive health, becomes increasingly relevant for public discourse.
