Hyderabad IVF scam uncovers baby trafficking racket, 25 arrested

Hyderabad police have busted a large-scale fake surrogacy and child trafficking racket run by the Universal Srushti Fertility Centre, a network of clinics operating in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh for over 15 years.

So far, 25 people — including four doctors, lab technicians, managers, agents, and biological parents of trafficked infants — have been arrested.

North Zone DCP S Rashmi Perumal revealed to NDTV that no genuine surrogacy procedures were carried out. Instead, babies were bought from biological parents and handed over to couples for prices reaching up to ₹35 lakh, with no genetic link to the paying parents.

“They exploited the desperation of couples who want a baby, and also the vulnerability of a biological parent who is unable to keep a baby,” she said.

The investigation began after a Rajasthan couple discovered through an independent DNA test that their supposed surrogate child was unrelated to them.

Police allege the accused charged couples ₹30–40 lakh for sham surrogacy, collected biological samples, and claimed embryos had been implanted. Nine months later, the couples were given babies sourced through a network of agents, often with falsified medical and DNA reports.

According to investigators, agents received smaller payouts — ₹3.5 lakh for a girl, ₹4.5 lakh for a boy — while biological parents were typically paid ₹90,000. In some cases, couples were even shown unrelated deceased infants.

Among the victims is a 90-year-old gynaecologist, Dr Suri Shrimathi, whose name and license were used on clinic documents without her consent.

The clinic’s owner, Dr Athaluri Namrata, and her son, advocate Pachipala SS Jayanth Krishna, are among those in judicial custody. Police say Dr Namrata has a criminal history with about 15 prior cases across Hyderabad, Visakhapatnam, Vijayawada, and Guntur involving charges of cheating, medical fraud, and child trafficking.

Given the scale and complexity of the network, Hyderabad’s Police Commissioner has transferred the case to the Central Crime Station’s Special Investigation Team. The Telangana government has also ordered inspections of all fertility clinics in the state.

DCP Rashmi has warned the public against fraudulent fertility services, stressing that commercial surrogacy is illegal in India and urging people to consult only licensed, legally compliant medical professionals.

Two rescued babies, abandoned by their biological parents and rejected by defrauded couples, are now in the care of Shishu Vihar, a state-run childcare facility.