Hyderabad Police Major Operation: Fake Surrogacy and Child Trafficking Gang Uncovered, 25 Arrested
According to the police, the gang was involved in an organized racket of illegal surrogacy and child trafficking, exploiting emotionally and financially vulnerable couples under the pretext of infertility treatment.
Hyderabad: In a major operation, Gopalapuram Police arrested Dr. Athaluri Namrata, owner of the well-known Universal Surrogate Fertility Center, along with several associates. According to the police, the gang was involved in an organized racket of illegal surrogacy and child trafficking, exploiting emotionally and financially vulnerable couples under the pretext of infertility treatment.
The first case was registered on July 27, 2025, under Crime No. 147/2025, in which a couple was allegedly cheated in the name of fake surrogacy. During the investigation, police arrested 25 individuals, including doctors, lab technicians, managers, agents, and the biological parents of the children. The network was active in several cities, including Secunderabad and Visakhapatnam.
Following complaints from more victims, Gopalapuram Police registered eight additional cases, invoking various sections of the Surrogacy Act, 2021, the Juvenile Justice Act (JJ Act), and the BNS. In some instances, fake medical and DNA reports were prepared after collecting large sums from the victims, while in other cases, a child born to another woman was falsely presented as the child of the affected couple.
The investigation revealed that agents charged ₹3.5 lakh for a girl child and ₹4.5 lakh for a boy child, while clients were charged between ₹30 and ₹40 lakh.
According to police, Dr. Namrata has previously been booked in over 15 cases related to surrogacy, IVF, and child trafficking in Hyderabad, Visakhapatnam, Vijayawada, and Guntur. Some of these cases are pending in court, while others have been settled.
The operation was carried out by Detective Inspector B.V. Kaushik, SHO Gopalapuram, SHO Marredpally, and other crime teams under the supervision of ACP Gopalapuram and DCP North Zone. Due to the seriousness of the matter, the case has been transferred to the CCSSIT for further investigation.
Police Appeal to the Public:
Police have warned that any form of commercial surrogacy is prohibited in India and urged the public to report clinics offering such services immediately. Victims have been encouraged to contact the police so that such criminal networks can be dismantled. Strict legal action will be taken against those involved in buying and selling children and in illegal surrogacy activities.
