Hyderabad: Eight individuals were arrested by Petbasheerabad police for allegedly running a commercial surrogacy and egg trading business. A mother-son duo who have been accused of orchestrating the racket and six other women have been apprehended for allegedly acting as egg donors or surrogate mothers.
According to the police, the prime accused in the case Narreddula Laxmi Reddy had worked as an egg donor and surrogate mother in the past and was now using her contacts to and targeting financially vulnerable women to run this racket. Her son, Narender Reddy, who is a chemical engineering graduate, allegedly assisted her in the same.
The six women have been identified as Golconda Sai Leela from Karnataka, Malagalla Venkata Laxmi, P Sunitha, Sadala Satyavathi, Pantada Aparna, and J Ramanamma, all from Andhra Pradesh.
Laxmi allegedly offered money to vulnerable women and referred them to fertility clinics in Hyderabad. She also collected substantial amounts of money for each procedure.
The surrogates were reportedly aware of the fact that the operation was illegal however, still complied to make money. These women were allegedly housed at the accused’s residence, while she also collected additional maintenance charges from the hospitals.
Hegde Fertility Hospital in Madhapur, Anu Test Tube Centre in Somajiguda, FertyCare in Banjara Hills, EVA IVF, Amulya IVF Centre and Sree Fertility Centre are under the police’s scanner and their involvement in the surrogacy case is being verified.
During the raid, police reportedly recovered Rs 6.47 lakh cash, a laptop, promissory notes and non judicial bond papers, medical supplies such as hormone injections and syringes, hospital case sheets, and multiple mobile phones.
Laxmi has reportedly been booked under a similar case in Mumbai in the past. Petbasheerabad police have registered a case under the Surrogacy Regulation Act, the Assisted Reproductive Technology Act, and relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. Further investigation is underway.
