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In shadows deep, a secret sold,
A mother’s grief, a child turned gold.
Bought for coins, sold with lies,
Hope fractured beneath cold skies.
A trust betrayed, a life in trade,
In sterile halls, where dreams fade.
Who guards the heart, who hears the cry?
When innocence is bought and sold, why?

Shocking revelations have come to light in Hyderabad, exposing a gruesome child trafficking racket operated by a group of doctors and fertility clinic operators. These criminals allegedly bought newborn babies for as low as ₹90,000 from vulnerable, impoverished families and sold them to desperate couples as IVF-born children for an exorbitant amount reaching ₹35 lakh. This brazen scam, masked under the guise of legitimate fertility treatments, has shattered the trust of childless couples who believed in the medical assurances of having their own biological children.

What makes this racket particularly disturbing is how it exploits impoverished mothers, luring them into parting with their newborns for meager sums while preying on the deep longing of infertile couples. The scale of this unethical operation is alarming; recent police busts have uncovered multiple such cases spanning across Indian states, with several clinics continuing to operate illegally even after license cancellations. The deceit has involved forged medical records, fake IVF certifications, and false surrogacy claims to create a façade of medical legitimacy.

This article aims to reveal the facts behind this sordid racket, critically examine the ethical betrayals and regulatory failures that allowed it to flourish, explore the profound societal and psychological impacts, and advocate for urgent systemic reforms to protect women, children, and families from such grave violations. The shocking operation has ignited public outrage and calls for stringent oversight and accountability within India’s fertility and adoption sectors, spotlighting the dark underbelly of commercialization of motherhood exploited by unchecked greed and desperation.

1. Facts and Investigation Details

A horrifying child trafficking racket has been unearthed in Hyderabad, where doctors and staff at the Universal Srushti Fertility Centre allegedly bought newborn infants from vulnerable, impoverished women for as low as ₹90,000 and sold them to desperate couples as IVF or surrogate-born babies for a staggering ₹35 lakh. The racket operated by forging hospital records, fabricating IVF certificates, and manipulating birth certificates to disguise illicitly acquired babies as medically conceived surrogacy children.

Police investigations revealed that the accused clinic, whose license was cancelled in 2021 yet continued to function illegally across multiple cities including Hyderabad, Vijayawada, and Visakhapatnam, used social media and hospital networks to connect buyers and sellers. Pregnant women, often poor and from disadvantaged backgrounds, were coerced or lured into parting with their newborns. The babies were then handed over to paying clients under false pretenses.

On July 27, 2025, the Gopalapuram police arrested eight people including the fertility clinic’s owner Dr. Athaluri Namratha, her son (a lawyer), other medical professionals, clinic staff, and even the biological parents involved in the transactions. During raids, authorities seized unlicensed IVF equipment, pregnancy-related tools, and falsified documents. One rescued infant has been placed under state care in a government shelter.

The racket came to light when a couple from Rajasthan, who had paid over ₹35 lakh believing they had acquired their biological child through surrogacy, conducted a DNA test that revealed no biological relation to the baby they were given. When they confronted the clinic, they faced intimidation and denial of access to records.

DCP S Rashmi Perumal, leading the investigation, emphasized:

“These criminal networks exploit poverty and desperation, trafficking newborns and cloaking their illegal actions with fabricated medical legitimacy. We are committed to dismantling them and ensuring justice.”

This case, already linked to over 10 registered complaints and multiple leads across cities, exposes a disturbing commercial surrogacy and baby-selling operation that preyed on poor mothers and hopeful parents alike, facilitated by severe regulatory lapses in India’s fertility sector.

2. Ethical and Legal Dimensions

The doctors involved in this child trafficking racket have gravely violated core medical ethics, betraying the Hippocratic oath which commits healthcare providers to “do no harm” and to uphold trust and dignity in patient care. By orchestrating the purchase and sale of newborns under the false pretense of IVF and surrogacy, these medical professionals exploited vulnerable women, many from impoverished backgrounds, treating them as mere means to an end rather than human beings with rights and dignity. Clinics involved violated informed consent, subjected surrogate mothers to coercion and inhumane conditions—including forced abortions and excessive medical interventions—and falsified critical records, undermining the very foundation of medical integrity.

The absence of stringent regulation and oversight in fertility clinics and adoption processes enabled these crimes to flourish. Despite government efforts such as the Surrogacy (Regulation) Bill 2016, significant loopholes and weak enforcement continue to allow illegal commercial surrogacy and trafficking under the guise of medical procedures. Clinics have exploited ambiguities in the law, using forged documents and illicit networks to cover their tracks while vulnerable women face societal and economic pressures to comply. This regulatory vacuum compromises not only the health and rights of surrogate mothers but also jeopardizes the legal and emotional security of children and intending parents.

Legally, child trafficking is a grave offense under various Indian laws as well as international conventions such as the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC). The trafficking and sale of children violate Articles 7, 9, and 35 of the CRC, which guarantee the child’s right to know and be cared for by their parents and to protection from abduction and sale. While India has punitive laws against trafficking and exploitation, enforcement is often lax, and specialized legal provisions addressing the complexities of surrogacy-related trafficking remain insufficient. The current legal framework struggles with tracing parentage, prosecuting offenders thoroughly, and safeguarding the best interests of trafficked children and affected families.

The impact on victims is profoundly damaging from multiple perspectives. Biologically, surrogate mothers suffer serious psychological trauma due to forced separation from their newborns and coercive medical practices, ranging from selective abortions to compulsory cesarean deliveries under clinic pressure. The trafficked infants face insecure identities and uncertain futures, sometimes abandoned by traffickers or caught in legal disputes. For adopting couples, the betrayal shatters their hopes of parenthood and exposes them to emotional and financial exploitation. Families on all sides bear deep scars, compounded by legal ambiguities and societal stigma, requiring urgent systemic protection and reparative justice.

This case starkly reveals the urgent ethical and legal reforms needed to protect human dignity, prevent exploitation in assisted reproductive technologies, and ensure accountability in India’s fertility and adoption sectors.

3. Social and Psychological Impact

The child trafficking racket deeply traumatizes all parties involved — the biological mothers, the trafficked infants, and the deceived adoptive parents — leaving long-lasting scars. For biological mothers, many of whom are impoverished and vulnerable, the forced or coerced separation from their newborns triggers severe emotional and psychological distress. Studies on trafficking survivors reveal high prevalence of depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and feelings of guilt and shame due to exploitation and loss. Mothers often experience a profound sense of betrayal and grief, compounded by social stigma and lack of support.

Trafficked babies face identity insecurity and unstable attachments due to their illicit transfer and altered legal status. Early childhood trauma from separation and exploitation can disrupt neurological development, affecting emotional regulation, trust-building, and cognitive growth. This damage may manifest later as mental health issues and relational difficulties in their lives.

Deceived adoptive parents suffer emotional trauma upon discovering they have been defrauded. Their desperate desire for parenthood is exploited by criminals, leading to feelings of hopelessness, betrayal, and financial ruin. The emotional toll extends to the children they believed were their biological or legitimately adopted offspring, generating complex family distress.

At a societal level, this racket exposes the dark consequences of the commercialization of motherhood, where vulnerable women and desperate infertile couples become pawns in a profit-driven scheme. Poverty exploitation fuels the trafficking of babies, highlighting systemic inequality and failures in social protection. The desperation of childless couples to have their own families makes them vulnerable to such deceit, underscoring the urgent need for ethical regulation and support.

Psychological research illustrates how survivors of trafficking suffer from severe trauma, with mental health disorders such as PTSD, depression, and anxiety common among victims. Trauma bonds formed during exploitation, feelings of worthlessness, and complex grief require comprehensive psychological care and social reintegration efforts. Experts emphasize the importance of trauma-informed interventions and multi-disciplinary support to aid recovery.

As aptly stated,

“Child trafficking leaves deep scars not only on victims but on our society’s conscience.”

This human cost demands urgent attention to prevent future exploitation and to provide healing and justice for all affected.

4. Opinions and Public Outrage

The exposure of the surrogacy and baby-selling racket at Universal Srushti Fertility Centre in Hyderabad has ignited widespread public outrage and demands for strict justice and regulatory reforms. Citizens, activists, and lawmakers have expressed shock and anger over the exploitation of poor mothers and the betrayal of hopeful infertile couples who paid exorbitant sums—up to ₹35 lakh—believing they were securing biological children through legitimate IVF and surrogacy.

Many voices from the public and civil society insist that such scandals highlight glaring gaps in regulatory oversight of fertility clinics in India, especially in states like Telangana and Andhra Pradesh where hundreds of clinics operate. There is a strong call for the government to implement comprehensive audits, enforce licensing strictly, and monitor IVF and surrogacy centers with transparency to prevent recurrence of such heinous frauds.

Conflicting views have also surfaced regarding the commercialization of fertility technology. While some argue that advancements in reproductive technology offer hope and empowerment to infertile couples, others warn that without stringent ethical guardrails and enforcement, the sector can be easily exploited for profit, leading to grave human rights violations. Bioethicists emphasize the delicate balance required between promoting innovation in fertility treatments and safeguarding ethical standards to protect vulnerable individuals from exploitation.

Women’s rights activists and child welfare campaigners have strongly condemned the racket, calling it a violation of fundamental rights and dignity. Advocate Meera Joshi, a noted women’s rights campaigner, stated:

“This racket is a glaring example of how desperation and poverty can be weaponized against women and children. We must demand zero tolerance for such abuses and comprehensive reforms that put human dignity and rights first.”

Government officials have echoed these sentiments. DCP S Rashmi Perumal, leading the investigation, affirmed:

“This is clearly a case of illegal commercial surrogacy, which is banned in India. Only altruistic surrogacy is allowed under the law. These criminals exploited both desperate couples and poor mothers for profit, and we are committed to ensuring that justice is served.”

The case has spurred Telangana to initiate a high-level inquiry into enforcement gaps related to the Surrogacy (Regulation) Act and clinical establishment laws, recognizing the urgent need to clamp down on unlicensed and unethical fertility practices. Public pressure continues to mount for a nationwide policy overhaul to safeguard all stakeholders involved in fertility and adoption.

This intense public reaction underscores the critical need for vigilance, ethical accountability, and policy interventions to restore trust and integrity in assisted reproductive technologies in India.

5. Path Forward — Policy and Reform Recommendations

The recent child trafficking racket involving doctors selling babies as IVF-born children underscores the urgent need for comprehensive reforms in India’s fertility and adoption sectors. To restore trust and protect all stakeholders—vulnerable mothers, babies, and intending parents—stronger oversight and transparent processes must be established.

Stronger Oversight and Transparent IVF Processes:

India’s Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) Act, 2021, and the Surrogacy (Regulation) Act, 2021, lay important groundwork by mandating registration, ethical practices, and strict monitoring of fertility clinics and gamete banks. However, enforcement gaps and regulatory loopholes allowed illegal operations to flourish. Going forward, mandatory audits and licensing controls must be rigorously implemented for all fertility clinics and IVF centers. This includes regular surprise inspections, strict penalties for violations, and a transparent disclosure system where couples can verify clinic credentials and treatment histories through a national registry.

Better Adoption and Surrogacy Laws:

Legal measures must focus on closing loopholes that traffickers exploited—such as forged IVF certificates and illegitimate surrogacy claims. Adoption processes require simplification paired with strong safeguards to prevent illegal baby sales disguised as legitimate adoptions or surrogacy. Coordinating ART and adoption laws will create a seamless framework protecting children’s rights and ensuring legal parentage clarity.

Social Welfare Measures to Protect Vulnerable Women:

Since many trafficked babies came from impoverished, marginalized mothers, it is critical to bolster social welfare programs for pregnant women facing economic hardship. These could include financial assistance, counseling, legal aid, and safe institutional delivery care. Empowering women through education and economic support reduces their susceptibility to exploitation, breaking the supply side of such trafficking networks.

Awareness Campaigns on Trafficking Risks:

Public education is essential to alert vulnerable communities and potential parents about the risks and signs of baby trafficking disguised as surrogacy or IVF scams. Government agencies, NGOs, and medical associations should collaborate to launch nationwide awareness campaigns highlighting ethical fertility practices, legal rights, and reporting mechanisms.

Role of Stakeholders:

Addressing such a complex societal problem requires the concerted efforts of multiple stakeholders:

  • The government must strengthen regulatory bodies, enhance law enforcement capacity, and coordinate reforms across fertility and adoption frameworks.
  • The medical community should adopt and promote ethical codes, reporting obligations, and patient education priorities.
  • The judiciary must expedite cases involving trafficking and related violations while safeguarding victims’ rights.
  • Civil society and media can drive transparency, public pressure, and support for affected families through advocacy and investigative work.

In sum, preventing exploitation in fertility treatments and ensuring the dignity of all involved demands holistic reform—combining legal, ethical, social, and educational strategies. Only with strong regulation, accountability, and awareness can India safeguard its most vulnerable and honor the hopes of families aspiring for parenthood.

Conclusion

The shocking revelation of doctors and fertility clinics involved in trafficking newborn babies under the guise of IVF and surrogacy poses a grave threat to human dignity and the foundational trust society places in healthcare institutions. This racket not only exploits the deepest vulnerabilities of impoverished mothers and desperate infertile couples but also undermines the sanctity of family, the rights of children, and the integrity of medical practice. Such illicit commercialization of motherhood corrodes societal values and leaves deep psychological and legal scars that reverberate across generations.

The urgent need for systemic reform cannot be overstated. To safeguard the rights and welfare of mothers, children, and families yearning for parenthood, comprehensive and enforceable regulations must be swiftly implemented and strictly monitored. Legal frameworks must close loopholes, while ethical accountability must be upheld decisively within the medical community. Social welfare interventions and public awareness campaigns are essential to empower vulnerable communities and prevent exploitation.

This dark episode serves as a clarion call for all stakeholders—government, judiciary, healthcare providers, civil society, and citizens—to unite in vigilance and action. Only through transparency, ethical commitment, and robust policy enforcement can India prevent future tragedies and restore faith in assisted reproductive technologies and adoption practices.

As poignantly stated:

“Where children are bought and sold, humanity itself is for sale.”

Let this be a powerful reminder of our collective moral responsibility to protect the innocence and rights of every child. The future of countless families depends on the reforms we undertake today.

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References:

Disclaimer:

This article is based on currently available information from official investigations and media reports. Some details may evolve as further inquiries proceed. The purpose is to highlight systemic issues and stimulate informed public discourse, not to malign individuals before judicial determination.

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