Hyderabad: A major fake surrogacy and child trafficking racket has been uncovered in Hyderabad, centred around the Universal Srushti Fertility Centre in Secunderabad, which has been operating for over 15 years across Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.

According to NDTV, Hyderabad North Zone DCP S Rashmi Perumal confirmed that no legitimate surrogacy procedures were carried out at the clinic. Instead, the facility allegedly sold babies procured from vulnerable biological parents to unsuspecting couples desperate to have children, charging up to ₹35-40 lakh per child.

“They exploited the desperation of couples who wanted a baby, and also the vulnerability of biological parents who were unable to keep theirs,” DCP Rashmi told NDTV.

How the scam came to light

The investigation began on 27 July, when a couple from Rajasthan lodged a complaint after a DNA test revealed no biological connection to the baby they had received through what they believed was a surrogacy procedure.

What followed was the uncovering of a well-organised criminal syndicate operating under the guise of offering fertility treatments and surrogacy services. Couples were led to believe embryos had been created and implanted using their biological samples. In reality, they were handed over babies bought through a network of agents--often from impoverished or distressed families.

According to NDTV, agents were paid ₹90,000 for a girl and ₹4.5 lakh for a boy, while parents were deceived with forged medical and DNA documents. Two babies have since been taken into care at Shishu Vihar, a government-run children’s home, after being abandoned by both the biological and prospective parents following the exposure of the racket.

The 25 individuals arrested so far include:

Dr Athaluri Namrata, owner of the fertility centre

Her son, an advocate, Pachipala S.S. Jayanth Krishna

Four doctors, along with lab technicians, managers, agents, and biological parents involved in the syndicate

Among the many disturbing details, a 90-year-old gynaecologist, Dr Suri Shrimathi, was revealed to be a victim of identity fraud. Her name and medical licence had been used without consent in official clinic documents.

The modus operandi involved:

  • Charging couples ₹20–40 lakh for ‘surrogacy’
  • Falsely claiming embryos were implanted
  • Procuring newborns through agents and presenting them as biological offspring
  • Falsifying medical records to mislead parents

In one tragic case, a couple was charged ₹22 lakh and later shown a dead baby, which investigators discovered had no relation to the couple. In another instance, a pre-term girl was handed over to a family who later faced threats from the clinic staff after questioning the baby’s parentage.

Police have confirmed that Dr Namrata has a long criminal history, with at least 15 previous cases of cheating, child trafficking, and medical fraud registered against her in cities such as Hyderabad, Visakhapatnam, Vijayawada, and Guntur. Some of these cases were allegedly compromised, while others remain under trial.

Due to the seriousness and scale of the crimes, the Hyderabad Police Commissioner has now transferred the investigation to the Central Crime Station's Special Investigation Team (SIT) for further action.

DCP Rashmi Perumal has issued a public warning, urging people to exercise extreme caution when dealing with fertility centres. She reiterated that commercial surrogacy is illegal in India and advised the public to consult only licensed and legally compliant medical professionals.

The Telangana government has responded by ordering a statewide inspection of all fertility clinics, aiming to prevent further exploitation under the guise of assisted reproduction.