Hyderabad police bust alleged egg donation racket, rescue 43 women; 8 arrested

Hyderabad police apprehended eight people and rescued 43 women in coordinated raids on an alleged interstate egg extraction racket. The probe is examining suspected exploitation, forged documents and links involving IVF centres and ART banks.

In Short

• Agents allegedly offered women Rs 20,000 to Rs 30,000 per cycle
• Some women reported receiving hormonal injections and medicines before procedures
• Raids recovered fertility drugs, injection equipment, documents and mobile phones

Police in Hyderabad have busted an alleged interstate human egg extraction racket involving the recruitment of women for oocyte donation procedures, with investigators suspecting commercial exploitation through IVF and fertility centres.

In coordinated raids across multiple locations, police apprehended eight people and rescued 43 women belonging to West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra and other states.

The operation was carried out by Begumpet and Saroornagar police, along with the Special Operations Team (SOT) of the Malkajgiri Commissionerate. Raids were conducted at premises in Prakash Nagar, Begumpet, Erragadda, Saroornagar and Gopalapuram, falling under the Malkajgiri and Hyderabad police commissionerates.

According to preliminary investigations, the women were allegedly lured to Hyderabad with promises of payments ranging from Rs 20,000 to Rs 30,000 for each egg donation cycle. Agents reportedly recruited them from different states, arranged their transportation and housed them in rented accommodation before connecting them with fertility-related service providers.

Some of the women told investigators that they had been administered hormonal injections and medicines in preparation for the procedures.

MEDICINES, MEDICAL MATERIAL SEIZED

During the raids, police seized five vials of Humog HP 150 IU injections, a syringe, two needles, Primolut and Meprate tablets. Documents, mobile phones and other material were also confiscated.

Investigators suspect that some procedures may have been facilitated without authorised medical supervision and that prescribed norms for biomedical waste disposal may have been flouted.

WHO ARE THE EIGHT ARRESTED?

Those apprehended include Amit Sharma (44), suspected to be the principal organiser, and Nikkat Parveen (31), an alleged co-organiser involved in recruiting women.

The other accused are Reshma Khatoon (26), an alleged IVF agent and sub-agent; Meghavath Srinivas alias Sonu (23), who allegedly coordinated medical facilitation; and Jepray Pradeep (27), an ART (Assisted Reproductive Technology) Bank manager.

The remaining accused are SK Parveen (42), whose specific role is being verified; Vijay Bhagwah Rao Salunke (46), associated with documentation work at Butterfly Bio & ART Bank; and Pankaj Soni (52), allegedly involved in coordination and intermediary activities.

Separately, Emirishetty Durga Prasad (42), a businessman from Saroornagar, was arrested in connection with a case registered in the area.

POLICE PROBE SUSPECTED FORGED DOCUMENTS, IVF LINKS

Police suspect that Amit Sharma had been operating from a rented premises in Prakash Nagar, Begumpet, for nearly two years, paying a monthly rent of Rs 50,000.

Nikkat Parveen allegedly helped recruit women, particularly from West Bengal, through agents and coordinated their travel and accommodation in Hyderabad.

The investigation is examining suspected forgery of Aadhaar cards, affidavits and consent forms, besides medical records, the frequency of egg donations, financial transactions and commissions allegedly paid to agents.

Police are also investigating possible links between the organisers, IVF centres and ART banks to establish whether women were subjected to coercion, deception, exploitation or trafficking.

THREE CASES REGISTERED

Three cases have been registered in connection with the racket. These include Crime No. 763/2026 at Begumpet police station and Crime Nos. 1145/2026 and 1146/2026 at Saroornagar police station.

Cases have been booked under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, and Sections 33(2) and 34 of the Assisted Reproductive Technology (Regulation) Act, 2021.

The operation was conducted under the supervision of Malkajgiri Police Commissioner B Sumathi, IPS, with the involvement of senior officers from the Malkajgiri and LB Nagar zones and the Special Operations Team.

- Ends