A major illegal surrogacy and sperm trafficking racket has been busted in Secunderabad, Hyderabad’s twin city, leading to the arrest of ten individuals, including Dr Namrata, the manager of Universal Srushti Fertility Centre.
The operation came under scrutiny after a couple from Rajasthan, now living in Secunderabad, filed a police complaint. They had paid Rs35 lakh to the fertility centre last year for surrogacy services. Suspicious after repeated delays in obtaining DNA proof, the couple independently tested the baby’s DNA in Delhi — only to discover the child was not genetically related to them.
Hyderabad North Zone DCP Rashmi Perumal revealed the operation involved exploiting poor individuals as surrogate mothers and illegally transferring sperm and egg samples across state lines.
When confronted with the DNA evidence in June, Dr Namrata allegedly admitted to a “mix-up” and sought time to fix the issue. However, she went missing, prompting the couple to approach Gopalapuram police.
Late-night raids were carried out at the fertility centre, where authorities seized crucial records and preserved sperm samples for forensic testing. Investigations exposed a larger interstate network, including the involvement of an unlicensed company named Indian Sperm Tech.
Among the arrested are Pankaj Soni, regional manager of Indian Sperm Tech, and six others identified as Sampath, Srinu, Jitender, Shiva, Manikantha, and Boro — all suspected of facilitating the transport of reproductive material across state borders.
Authorities found that a woman was flown from Hyderabad to Visakhapatnam for the baby’s delivery, and the couple was falsely assured that the child was born via surrogacy using their genetic material.
Dr Namrata is also accused of targeting underprivileged women to act as surrogates and of gross violations of medical and legal protocols, including the Assisted Reproductive Technology (Regulation) Act.
The investigation is ongoing, with officials suspecting the involvement of more fertility centres and agents in this wide-reaching racket.
