Police Bust Commercial Surrogacy and illegal Egg Trading Racket in Hyderabad
A police statement said on Friday, the prime accused, Narreddula Laxmi Reddy (45), a resident of Chinthal, Quthbullapur, had earlier worked as an egg donor and surrogate mother.
Hyderabad: In a major crackdown, the Pet-Basheerabad Police have busted a commercial surrogacy and illegal human egg trading racket being run by a network of eight individuals — seven women and one man — in collusion with several fertility centres in Hyderabad.
The accused allegedly exploited the desperation of infertile couples for illegal monetary gain.
A police statement said on Friday, the prime accused, Narreddula Laxmi Reddy (45), a resident of Chinthal, Quthbullapur, had earlier worked as an egg donor and surrogate mother. Using her experience and contacts with agents and fertility clinics, she began recruiting financially vulnerable women as egg donors and surrogate mothers, housing them at her residence and charging additional maintenance fees from hospitals.
Her son, Narreddula Narender Reddy (27), a chemical engineering graduate, assisted in the illegal operations, which served as their primary source of income.
The women involved were aware that commercial surrogacy is prohibited by law, but participated for financial gain.
Fertility clinics under scrutiny include Hegde Fertility Hospital (Madhapur), Anu Test Tube Centre (Somajiguda), FertyCare (Banjara Hills), EVA IVF, Amulya IVF Centre, and Sree Fertility Centre (Kondapur). Police said the alleged involvement of these facilities is under verification.
Police said Laxmi Reddy has a previous criminal record, having been booked in Mumbai under IPC sections and provisions of the Juvenile Justice Act in 2024.
Acting on credible information, a special team raided the premises in the presence of the District Medical and Health Officer.
Police seized net cash of Rs 6.47 lakhs, a laptop, promissory notes, non-judicial bond papers, disposable syringes, pregnancy medicines, hormone injections (Progesterone), case sheets from Hegde Hospital, five smartphones, and one keypad phone from their possession.
A case has been registered under Sections 38, 39, 40, 41 of the Surrogacy Regulation Act, Sections 33, 34 of the Assisted Reproductive Technology Act, and relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
The arrested individuals are being produced before the court, and efforts are underway to identify and apprehend others linked to the racket, the statement added.
