Hyderabad: A court in Hyderabad, on Sunday, February 23, granted the Enforcement Directorate (ED) a two-day custody to Dr Namratha, who was arrested in the illegal surrogacy case last year.
Dr Namratha, who is named the prime accused, headed the Srushti Fertility Centre (also known as Universal Srushti) with her son, Pachipala Jayanth Krishna, in Secunderabad. The case gained news prominence after a couple came forward alleging their 1.5-month-old baby boy failed the independent DNA test and was not conceived through surrogacy.
The Gopalapuram police conducted a search operation at the clinic and found several discrepancies.
Srushti Fertility Centre collected between Rs 20 lakh and Rs 35 lakh from childless couples, promising a baby using their own biological embryos. However, investigations revealed the clinic allegedly purchased newborns from poor women or those who sought abortions. Police also found forged birth certificates and fabricated DNA reports.
Investigators further stated that the clinic had been functioning without valid licences for years and had continued operations despite the cancellation of its registration earlier.
Dr Namratha was arrested for medical fraud and baby-trafficking rackets linked to an IVF facility.
As the investigation progressed, police arrested more than two dozen people, including the clinic’s management, lab technicians and others allegedly connected to the operation.
The Enforcement Directorate also launched a parallel probe into suspected money laundering, conducting searches in Hyderabad as well as in Visakhapatnam and Vijayawada.
