Committee set up to monitor fertility centres
The racket came to light after the arrest of several individuals, including the founder-director of Universal Srushti Fertility Centre, Athaluri Namratha alias Pachipala Namratha, her son Pachipala Jayanth Krishna, centre manager C Kalyani Atchayyamma, Gandhi Hospital anaesthetist Dr Nargula Sadanandam, lab technician Gollamandala Chenna Rao, and agent Dhanasri Santoshi. They have been accused of purchasing babies from vulnerable women and presenting them as children born through surrogacy.
In an order issued by Health Secretary Christina Z Chongthu, the department noted that certain IVF clinics were operating in violation of the Assisted Reproductive Technology (Regulation) Act, 2011, and the Surrogacy (Regulation) Act, 2021. Concerns were raised over the lack of mandatory registration, procedural transparency, and breaches of ethical guidelines, particularly regarding gamete donation, embryo transfers and surrogacy arrangements.
According to the order, the three-member committee will include the Health Commissioner, the CEO of the Rajiv Aarogyasri Health Care Trust, and the Director of Medical Education.
The committee is expected to submit its report to the government within 10 days. It has been authorised to summon any official or expert to provide information relevant to the inquiry.
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Time of India
9 hours ago
- Time of India
5 more cases against Srushti Clinic head
Hyderabad: Gopalapuram police have registered five new cases against the head of Srushti Fertility Clinic Dr Athaluri Namratha alias Pachipala Namratha, and others based on complaints lodged by five sets of victims. While in one case a couple alleged that the doctor handed them a baby whose DNA did not match theirs, three other couples accused the clinic of adopting dubious methods. They claimed that they had already paid the money — anywhere from Rs 12.5 lakh to Rs 19 lakh — and even deposited their biological samples when they grew suspicious about the operations of Dr Namratha and her clinic. The frauds occurred between 2019 and 2025. Cops are yet to ascertain details of the fifth case. You Can Also Check: Hyderabad AQI | Weather in Hyderabad | Bank Holidays in Hyderabad | Public Holidays in Hyderabad Case 1: DNA mismatch causes trauma A woman from Hyderabad, requesting anonymity, alleged that she and her husband had approached Universal Srushti Fertility & Research Centre in July 2024 for infertility treatment. Dr Namratha advised gestational surrogacy using the couple's own genetic material and assured them that all legal formalities would be handled by them. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like American Investor Warren Buffett Recommends: 5 Books For Turning Your Life Around Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Undo The couple paid Rs 16.5 lakh for hormone therapy, laboratory work, and surrogate expenses. Their egg and sperm samples were collected at the clinic's Visakhapatnam branch on September 18, 2024. A baby girl was delivered via caesarean section on June 16, 2025, at a Visakhapatnam-based hospital. "Initially, we were told by the doctors that the baby was healthy, but they later shifted her to the NICU, terming her as late pre-term," the woman said. The couple's suspicions arose after Srushti staff refused to divulge the surrogate mother's details. Their fears deepened after they were unable to observe any facial resemblance with the baby, which prompted them to go for an independent DNA test. "The results, which came out on July 12, confirmed that neither of us was biologically related to the child," the complainant alleged. When confronted on July 22, Dr Namratha allegedly admitted that donor gametes were mistakenly used, and asked the couple to return the infant so the clinic could seek govt adoption clearance and repeat the procedure with their samples. The parents refused and approached the police, citing immense emotional trauma and legal uncertainty over the child's status. It is learnt that the child is still in the custody of the couple. The police have registered a case against Dr Namratha, Dr Vidyulatha, Kalyani, Sheshagiri, and Srinivasa Reddy under sections 61 (2), 316 (2), 318(4), 111, 335, 336, 340 BNS & Sections 38, 39, and 40 of the Surrogacy (Regulation) Act, 2021. Case 2: Rs 12.5 lakh lost in fraudulent surrogacy deal Another couple from the city approached police alleging they were duped of Rs 12.5 lakh by Dr Namratha and others through a fraudulent surrogacy deal. The husband, a 34-year-old private employee from the city, alleged that he and his wife approached Dr Namratha in Nov 2024 for a surrogate baby. Between April and May 2025, the couple paid Rs 10 lakh for tests and collection of 'biological samples' at the Secunderabad branch. 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After an unsuccessful embryo transfer, the couple returned to the USA. In January 2020, Dr Namratha advised the couple to opt for a surrogacy procedure costing Rs 25 lakh. The complainant's brother paid Rs 12 lakh in cash as an initial instalment. "The clinic provided no documents about medical procedures or statutory clearances. Due to Covid-19, I could not personally meet the doctor, and when I reached the fertility centre on Sunday, I came to know about the recent case against Dr Namratha," the complainant alleged. A case was registered against Dr Namratha under relevant sections of the BNS. Case 4: Nalgonda couple alleges Rs 11 lakh fraud A couple from Nalgonda alleged that Dr Namratha and her associates duped them of Rs 11 lakh with a false assurance of providing them with a child through a surrogacy procedure. The 49-year-old man and his wife first approached Universal Srushti Fertility Centre in June 2024 after unsuccessful IVF treatment attempts. Dr Namratha suggested surrogacy, and the couple paid Rs 9 lakh through UPI and Rs 2 lakh in cash between May 20 and July 2, 2025, and their samples were collected at the Secunderabad facility. "Despite the payments, the hospital neither produced proof of necessary legal permissions. They collected samples from us but did not start the surrogacy procedure," the complaint alleged. On learning about the other complaints against the facility, the victim approached the police on Sunday, and a case was registered against Dr Namratha, her associates, Archana, Dr Sadanandam, Chenna Rao, and Sureka under relevant Sections of the BNS.
Indian Express
16 hours ago
- Indian Express
Caught on camera, senior Chamoli medical officer ‘hits bike with his Scorpio, drags it 100 metres', 2 seriously injured
The additional chief medical officer in charge of Chamoli district hospital has been suspended after he was accused of hitting a motorcycle carrying two people with his SUV. An inquiry into the incident showed that Dr Mohammad Shah Hasan was allegedly inebriated, officials said, adding that Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami directed the Health Department to take action against him. Videos of the incident, which took place at 1.45 pm on Saturday, showed a black Scorpio dragging a motorcycle forward after hitting it. The two people on the motorcycle, identified as Sanyam Chaudhary and Gaurav Kumar, sustained serious injuries, according to an FIR registered on the basis of a complaint filed by Gaurav's father. The complaint said, 'Dr Shah Hasan, driving recklessly, negligently, and under the influence of alcohol, hit my son's Pulsar bike head-on in front of Monal Hotel with his Scorpio, and dragged the bike for around 100 metres with his vehicle. Both my son and Gaurav sustained serious injuries. Gaurav, being in a serious condition, was referred from Rudraprayag Government Hospital to Srinagar Base Hospital (in Pauri Garhwal).' The FIR is under BNS sections 125 (act endangering life or personal safety of others) and 281 (rash driving or riding on a public way). Officials said that after the incident, an inquiry was ordered and the report was received by the Director General of Medical Health and Family Welfare on Sunday. The report said that Hasan was allegedly inebriated. His conduct was found to be violative of the Uttarakhand Government Servants Conduct Rules, 2002, officials said. The office of Chief Minister Dhami said that he ordered the Uttarakhand Health Department to take disciplinary action against Hasan by suspending him with immediate effect. The order by Health Secretary Dr R Rajesh Kumar said, 'Considering the serious condition of the injured individuals, and taking cognizance under Rule 4(2) of the Uttarakhand Government Servants Conduct Rules, 2002, and under Rule 4 of the Uttarakhand Appeal and Discipline Rules, 2003, the Hon'ble Governor hereby graciously approves the suspension of Dr Mohd. Shah Hasan, Additional Chief Medical Officer, Chamoli (in public interest) for the incident at Tilani, District Rudraprayag. The Hon'ble Governor further grants approval for initiating an inquiry into the matter against Dr. Mohd. Shah Hasan…under the relevant provisions of Rule 4 of the Uttarakhand Appeal and Discipline Rules, 2003.' Rajesh Kumar said there was a clear violation of conduct in this case, which the government has taken very seriously. 'Indiscipline, irresponsible behaviour, or neglect of service duties at any level will not be tolerated in the department. The incident is not only tragic for the affected families, but also damages the credibility of the entire health system,' he said. During the suspension period, Hasan will be posted at the Rudraprayag district headquarters, from where he will fully cooperate in the departmental investigation.
The Hindu
18 hours ago
- The Hindu
12 children hospitalised in Chamarajanagar after eating seeds of trees wild seeds
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