HYDERABAD: Malkajgiri police have busted a human egg (oocyte) extraction and commercial sale racket, arrested nine persons and rescued 48 women who were lured into the operation with promises of Rs 20,000 to Rs 30,000 for each egg donation cycle. The women, mostly from economically weaker backgrounds, were recruited from different parts of the country and brought to Hyderabad for the procedures, police said.
The racket operated through a network of agents, recruiters and intermediaries who arranged the recruitment, travel and accommodation of the women.
After being brought to Hyderabad, they were referred to fertility centres for ovarian stimulation and egg retrieval procedures. The extracted eggs were supplied to fertility centres for commercial gain, according to the police.
Malkajgiri police conducted simultaneous raids on Friday at premises in Prakashnagar, Begumpet, Erragadda, Saroornagar and Gopalapuram. Disclosing details of the operation, Malkajgiri Police Commissioner B Sumathi said the procedures were being facilitated without authorised medical supervision or proper biomedical waste disposal arrangements at the premises. Police seized five vials of Humog HP 150 IU injections, a syringe, two needles, Primolut and Meprate tablets, besides documents and mobile phones.
Police suspect MP man is the kingpin
Amit Sharma (44), a native of Indore in Madhya Pradesh and a resident of Prakashnagar, Begumpet, is suspected to be the main organiser, Sumathi said. He had been operating from rented premises for about two years, paying `50,000 a month, she said.
Nikhat Parveen (31), a Hyderabad resident, assisted him in recruiting women, particularly from West Bengal, through agents and arranging their travel and accommodation, according to the police.
The other arrested persons are Reshma Khatoon (26), an IVF agent; Meghavath Srinivas alias Sonu (23) and Jepray Pradeep (27), who facilitated the medical procedures; and Vijay Bhagwah Rao Salunke (46), who was associated with documentation work at Butterfly Bio and ART Bank. Pankaj Soni (52) coordinated the operation, while the role of Sk Parveen (42) is still being verified, police said. Emirishetty Durga Prasad (42) was also arrested by the Saroornagar police.
During the investigation, some of the rescued women told the police that they had been promised Rs 20,000 to Rs 30,000 for each egg donation cycle. They also said hormonal injections and medicines had been administered to them as part of the procedures.
Three cases have been registered in connection with the racket, one at Begumpet police station and two at Saroornagar police station. The cases have been booked under Sections 125, 143(2), 143(3), 271, 272, 318(4), 61(2) and 111 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), covering offences including acts endangering human life, trafficking, spreading dangerous diseases, cheating, criminal conspiracy and organised crime.
Cases have also been registered under Sections 33(2) and 34 of the Assisted Reproductive Technology (Regulation) Act, 2021. Further investigation is under way.
