6 days ago
Another surrogacy racket busted in Telangana; woman, son held
HYDERABAD: The Pet Basheerabad police on Friday arrested nine individuals, including a 27-year-old chemical engineering graduate from JNTU and his mother, for allegedly running an illegal commercial surrogacy and egg trading operation.
The prime accused have been identified as Narreddula Narender Reddy, the JNTU graduate, and his mother Narreddula Laxmi Reddy (alias Laxmi). The others arrested include surrogate mothers from Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh: Golconda Sai Leela, Malagalla Venkata Laxmi, P Sunitha, Sadala Satyavathi, Pantada Aparna, and J Ramanamma.
Police seized Rs 6.47 lakh in cash, a laptop, promissory notes, non-judicial bond papers, and medical supplies, including Dispo Van syringes (2ml, 3ml, 5ml), pregnancy medicines, and hormone injections (Progesterone). Case sheets of two women from Hegde Hospital were also recovered. Medchal DCP N Koti Reddy said the racket came to light after a raid on a house in Chintal.
Investigation revealed that Laxmi Reddy, a former egg donor and surrogate mother, had previously been arrested by Mumbai police in a similar case.
JNTU grad helped mom in surrogacy biz
After relocating to Hyderabad, she approached fertility clinics and agents to recruit financially vulnerable women as egg donors or surrogates. Her son, Narender Reddy, an unemployed graduate, allegedly assisted her in running the illegal operation, which served as their primary income source. The surrogate mothers were reportedly aware of the prohibition on commercial surrogacy but participated for monetary gain.
The fertility clinics under the scanner are: Hegde Fertility Hospital, Anu Test Tube Centre, FertyCare, EVA IVF, Amulya IVF Centre, and Sree Fertility Centre. Medchal-Malkajgiri DM&HO C Uma Gouri said: 'The investigation will reveal how these surrogacies were facilitated. We are scrutinising documents and have a list of suspected clinics.
Regular raids are conducted, and unlicensed centres are immediately shut down.' She, however, said that while the accused named multiple hospitals, their actual involvement remains unconfirmed. This bust fol lows the Gopalapuram police's July crackdown on an interstate illegal surrogacy and baby-selling ring, where 25 people, including P Namratha, were arrested.
