Baby-selling scam: 25 arrested in illegal surrogacy racket
Hyderabad police have uncovered a major illegal surrogacy and baby-selling operation led by Dr. Athaluri Namratha and her son at Universal Srushti Fertility Centre.
Their unlicensed clinics in three cities promised IVF babies to hopeful couples, who paid up to ₹44 lakh, but many received babies with no genetic link—or no child at all.
The racket came to light when a DNA test revealed one couple's "surrogate" baby wasn't actually theirs.
Agents, biological parents among accused
Police have arrested 25 people so far, including doctors, staff, agents, and even some biological parents.
Investigations found that poor women were pressured into being surrogates for cash and babies were sold using fake documents showing clients as the real parents.
Raids uncovered pregnancy equipment and forged papers—even though the clinics were operating without valid licenses.
The accused face charges like fraud, forgery, illegal medical practice, and human trafficking.
The first rescued baby is now under state care as the probe widens—more arrests could follow soon.