Enforcement Directorate Intensifies Investigation into Hyderabad's Rs 40 Lakh Baby Selling and Surrogacy Racket

Hyderabad:

The Enforcement Directorate has escalated investigations into a major fertility racket operating from Hyderabad, focusing on the financial dealings of Universal Srushti Fertility Centre and its founder, Dr. A Namratha.

According to sources who spoke with NDTV, the central agency interrogated Dr. Namratha following her arrest by local police, investigating potential money laundering operations connected to the facility.

Investigators are working to trace illicit proceeds generated through the alleged decade-long scheme involving fraudulent surrogacy practices, illegal baby-selling operations, and deception of childless couples seeking fertility treatments.

The ED has formally registered an Enforcement Case Information Report under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, prompted by multiple police cases dating back to 2019.

Central to the allegations is a scheme where the clinic allegedly purchased babies from economically disadvantaged women and sold them to childless couples for up to Rs 40 lakh under the guise of legitimate surrogacy and IVF procedures. The operation reportedly included fabricated DNA reports to maintain the deception.

These illicit activities reportedly spanned across Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, including operations in Hyderabad, Vijayawada, and Visakhapatnam, continuing even after the clinic's license was revoked in 2021.

Investigators believe the network may have extended as far as Kolkata in eastern India.

Last month, the ED conducted raids at nine locations across these states, targeting clinics and residences connected to the suspects. These searches yielded documentation reportedly detailing the extensive financial transactions involved in the operation.

Evidence suggests couples frequently made substantial cash payments that were transported through courier services to avoid detection.

The ED's investigation is running concurrently with a separate probe by Hyderabad's Central Crime Station special team. The investigation has already resulted in 24 arrests, including medical professionals, intermediaries, and laboratory technicians, in addition to the clinic's founder. Several government doctors from Andhra Pradesh suspected of involvement have been suspended, revealing the extensive nature of the network.

The Enforcement Directorate's involvement is expected to uncover additional dimensions of the criminal enterprise, particularly regarding assets acquired through the proceeds of these illegal activities.