Image showing handcuffs. For representational purposes.
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Hyderabad: A major racket of commercial surrogacy and "illegal" human egg trading allegedly operated by a network of seven women and a man in "collusion" with several fertility centres in Hyderabad was busted here, Cyberabad Police said on Friday.
Two agents—a woman (45) and her son (27), were arrested in connection with the racket and notices were issued to six donors, surrogate mothers, police said.
The accused were exploiting childless couples for illegal monetary gain, a release from Cyberabad Police said.
Acting on reliable information, a special police team on Friday conducted a raid on a premises under Pet-Basheerabad Police Station limits in the presence of the District Medical and Health Officer and during the operation, the two accused persons were apprehended, it said.
The ongoing investigation revealed that the prime accused, the woman agent, had earlier worked as an egg donor and surrogate mother, police said.
Using her experience and network of contacts with other agents, fertility clinics, and centres, she began recruiting women to act as egg donors or surrogate mothers and referred them to the different fertility centres.
For each successful procedure, she collected substantial amounts. She targeted financially vulnerable women, persuaded them to donate eggs or become surrogates, and kept them at her residence, collecting additional maintenance charges from the hospitals, the release said.
Her son, a Chemical Engineering graduate, assisted her in running the illegal business, which served as their sole source of income, police said.
The donors and surrogate mothers involved were aware that commercial surrogacy is prohibited by law but were part of it for financial gain.
The alleged involvement of the fertility clinics and centres is still under investigation.
A case was registered against the accused under relevant sections of Surrogacy Regulation Act, Assisted Reproductive Technology Act and BNS Act.
Efforts were underway to identify and apprehend other persons connected to the illegal racket.