Nine arrested, 43 women rescued in interstate illegal egg donation racket in Hyderabad

Hyderabad: An alleged interstate fertility racket involving illegal egg donation has been busted by Malkajgiri police with 43 women rescued and nine persons arrested following simultaneous raids at multiple locations here on Saturday.

Begumpet and Saroornagar police, along with the Special Operations Team (SOT) of Malkajgiri Commissionerate, conducted searches at four locations on Friday and Saturday. The raids covered premises in Prakash Nagar, Begumpet, Erragadda, Saroornagar and Gopalapuram.

According to Malkajgiri Police Commissioner B Sumathi, the rescued women, hailing from West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra and other states, were recruited by offering payments ranging from Rs 20,000 to Rs 30,000 for each egg donation cycle.

Preliminary investigations revealed that they were brought to Hyderabad, accommodated in rented premises and subsequently referred to IVF and fertility centres for ovarian stimulation and egg retrieval procedures.

During the investigation, some women reportedly disclosed that hormonal injections and medicines were being administered in preparation for the procedures,” officials said.

Police seized five vials of Humog HP 150 IU injections, a syringe, two needles, Primolut and Meprate tablets, besides mobile phones, documents and other material. Officials also found possible violations relating to authorised medical supervision and biomedical waste disposal.

Eight persons were apprehended in connection with the Begumpet cases. They include Amit Sharma (44), suspected to be the principal organiser, Nikkat Parveen (31), alleged co-organiser and recruiter, Reshma Khatoon (26), an alleged IVF agent, Meghavath Srinivas alias Sonu (23) and Jepray Pradeep (27), allegedly involved in medical coordination, Shaik Parveen (42), whose role is under verification, Vijay Bhagwah Rao Salunke (46), associated with documentation work at Butterfly Bio & ART Bank, and Pankaj Soni (52), allegedly involved in intermediary activities.

The ninth suspect E Durga Prasad (42), a businessman from Saroornagar, was arrested in connection with a separate case registered there.

Officials suspect that Amit Sharma had been operating from a rented premises in Prakash Nagar for nearly two years, paying Rs 50,000 monthly rent. Nikkat Parveen allegedly coordinated the recruitment of women, particularly from West Bengal, through agents.

Three cases have been registered, one at Begumpet Police Station and two at Saroornagar Police Station under BNS and the Assisted Reproductive Technology (Regulation) Act, 2021.

Police are investigating suspected forged identity documents, financial transactions, recruitment networks, medical consent processes and the involvement of fertility centres and ART banks.

Possible instances of coercion, deception, exploitation and human trafficking are also being examined. The identities and medical histories of the rescued women are being verified.