Surrogacy Scam in Hyderabad: DNA Mismatch Exposes Baby-Selling Network

Hyderabad police arrested ten individuals, including Dr. Athaluri Namratha, in a major illegal surrogacy and baby-selling racket in Secunderabad. The scam, centered at Universal Srushti Fertility Centre, involved selling infants bought from poor families to childless couples under the guise of legitimate surrogacy procedures.

Couple’s Discovery Exposes Fraud

A couple from Rajasthan, now residing in Secunderabad, exposed the racket after discovering their surrogate-born child, delivered in June 2025, shared no genetic link with them. The couple paid Rs. 35 lakh to the clinic for surrogacy services, only to learn through independent DNA testing in Delhi that the baby was not biologically theirs. When confronted, Dr. Namratha admitted to a "mix-up" but then went missing, prompting the couple to file a complaint with the Gopalapuram police.

Interstate Trafficking Network Uncovered

Police raid on the clinic revealed a sophisticated interstate network trafficking sperm, eggs, and infants. The investigation uncovered that the clinic purchased a two-day-old baby boy from a poor family in Assam for Rs. 90,000 and sold him to the complainants as their biological child, complete with a forged birth certificate. The biological parents, Mohammed Ali Adik and Nasreen Begum, were among those arrested.

Clinic’s Illegal Operations and Arrests

Dr. Namratha, 64, managed the unlicensed Universal Srushti Fertility Centre, which lost its registration in 2021 but continued illegal operations in Secunderabad, Kondapur, Vijayawada, and Visakhapatnam. The clinic collaborated with an unlicensed firm, Indian Sperm Tech, whose regional manager, Pankaj Soni, was arrested alongside agents Sampath, Srinu, Jitender, Shiva, Manikantha, Boro, and Dr. Namratha’s son, P. Jayanth Krishna, who managed her finances.

Targeting Vulnerable Women

Hyderabad North Zone Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) S. Rashmi Perumal stated, “The operation lured poor women into continuing pregnancies for money, selling their newborns to unsuspecting couples.” The clinic targeted vulnerable women seeking abortions, offering them payments to carry pregnancies to term. Police seized crucial documents and preserved sperm samples for forensic examination during late-night raids.

History of Misconduct and Ongoing Probe

The investigation revealed Dr. Namratha’s history of misconduct, with prior cases in 2016 and 2020 for similar offenses, including a five-year license suspension by the Telangana Medical Council. Authorities suspect more fertility centers may be involved and are probing other couples who used the clinic’s services. The clinic also performed illegal procedures like sex determination and operated without certified professionals, deceiving health department inspections by posing as a residential complex.

Legal Violations and Remand

Seven of the accused, including Dr. Namratha and Dr. Nargula Sadanandam, an anesthetist from Gandhi Hospital, face a 14-day judicial remand in Chanchalguda jail. The case violates the Assisted Reproductive Technology (Regulation) Act and surrogacy laws, as commercial surrogacy is illegal in India, with only altruistic surrogacy permitted.

(Rh/Eth/Pooja Bansal/MSM/SE)