Police Pursue Custody of Fertility Centre Owner, Son in Baby-Selling Case

Quick Summary

• The Gopalapuram police filed a petition in Nampally Criminal Court seeking one-week custody of Athaluri Namratha, owner of Worldwide Srushti Fertility Center, and her son Pachipala Jayanth Krishna.
• Both are accused in a baby-selling racket investigation related to surrogacy fraud discovered in Secunderabad last week.
• Police aim to question them about the number of couples reportedly cheated under the guise of surrogacy.
• A July 25 raid by Health Department officials and North Zone Task Force uncovered an illegal fertility centre named ‘Indian Sperm Tech’ near Secunderabad East Metro Station.
• During the raid, authorities found 17 sperm donors, 11 egg donors, and seized donor records, payment registers, and surrogacy applications.
• ‘Indian Sperm Tech,’ operated without a license by medical professionals, has been sealed. Legal charges were filed under sections 21, 26, and 27 of the ART Act.
• Investigators are focusing on linking Universal Srushti Fertility Centre to Indian Sperm Tech.

Indian Opinion Analysis

The alleged involvement of Universal Srushti Fertility Centre highlights significant concerns regarding regulation compliance in India’s Assisted reproductive Technology (ART) sector. The finding of unlicensed operations raises alarms about potential exploitation within this sensitive domain involving sperm/egg donation and surrogacy services. The confiscated donor records suggest several irregularities that could have far-reaching emotional and legal implications for affected individuals or couples.

Ensuring stricter enforcement under provisions like the ART Act is crucial for consumer protection while maintaining ethical standards across fertility practices nationwide. As investigations proceed into establishing links between these entities involved in unethical procedures or fraudulent activities potentially leading to criminal liability may reflect reforms aiming stronger frameworks upcoming legislative Dialogues/errors Mention Above

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