Kolhapur Female Feticide Case: Former Civil Surgeon Among Six Booked in Alleged Illegal Sex Determination and Abortion Racket

Kolhapur, Maharashtra: A 70-year-old former civil surgeon and five others have been booked after a July 29 raid at a private hospital in Kolhapur allegedly uncovered an illegal prenatal sex determination and female foeticide racket.

The operation, carried out by the district health department and police using a decoy patient, led to an FIR against Dr. Arun Kadam, Dr. Amit Kadam, Dr. Prajakta Kadam, Dr. Shweta Patil, hospital manager Anand Kadam, and another hospital employee under the Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (PCPNDT) Act, the Medical Termination of Pregnancy (MTP) Act, and relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

Also see: Punjab and Haryana High Court: Doctor Cannot Face PCPNDT Trial Without Evidence in Illegal Sex Determination Case

According to officials, the operation was carried out jointly by the district health administration and Kolhapur Police after they received information about suspected violations of the PCPNDT Act.

Investigators reportedly deployed a decoy patient to verify the allegations. During the operation, officials allegedly discovered evidence suggesting that prenatal ultrasound examinations were being used to determine fetal sex, followed by abortions when the fetus was identified as female.

Following the raid, authorities registered a criminal case against the accused and began collecting documentary and electronic evidence from the hospital.

Officials suspect the alleged racket may have been operating for an extended period. As part of the investigation, police have seized hospital records, ultrasound registers, patient files, and other documents for scrutiny.

Authorities are also reviewing financial records and patient referrals to establish whether intermediaries helped bring pregnant women to the facility for illegal prenatal sex determination tests.

Investigators are trying to identify women who may have undergone the alleged procedures and determine whether similar offences occurred in other districts.

The Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (Prohibition of Sex Selection) Act, 1994, commonly known as the PCPNDT Act, was enacted to prevent sex-selective practices and female foeticide in India.

The law prohibits determining or communicating the sex of a fetus except under specific medical circumstances permitted by law. It also regulates the use of ultrasound and other prenatal diagnostic techniques, requiring all registered centres to maintain detailed records. Violations can result in imprisonment, monetary penalties, and suspension or cancellation of medical registration.

Also see: Jaipur Sex Determination Racket Busted: Doctor Among Four Arrested in PCPNDT Crackdown

The investigation remains ongoing, and officials have not ruled out additional arrests or further charges.

The district health department is also reviewing the hospital's registrations, licences, and compliance with the PCPNDT Act to determine whether regulatory violations occurred beyond the offences already alleged.

Authorities have not disclosed how many pregnancies may have been affected, and investigators are continuing to analyse the evidence collected during the raid.

Reference:

Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi, Department of Health and Family Welfare. PC & PNDT Act & Rules. Accessed July 31, 2026.

https://pcpndt.delhi.gov.in/pcpndt-act

(Rh/ARC/MSM)