What Is Human Egg Trade? How Mother-Son Duo Operated 'Illegal' Racket In Hyderabad, Two Held

In a press release, the Cyberabad Police stated two agents, a woman (45) and her son (27), were arrested in connection with the racket. Notices were issued to six donors, surrogate mothers, police said.

What Is Human Egg Trade?

A few people illegally run fertility clinics and centres, claiming to help childless couples. They provide arranged donors and surrogate mothers for commercial surrogacy, which is prohibited by the government. Egg donation, also known as 'oocyte donation' enables a childless woman to conceive as part of an assisted reproduction treatment.

Childless Couples Were Target

The racket used to target childless couples for illegal monetary gain. The police action comes after they received reliable information from their sources. Acting upon the specific lead, a special police team conducted a raid on premises under the Pet-Basheerabad Police Station limits. The police team also included the District Medical and Health Officer while conducting the raid.

What Was The Modus Operandi Of The Racket?

The police said during the investigation, they found that the prime accused, the woman agent, was recruiting financially weak women to act as egg donors or surrogate mothers. The accused had earlier worked as an egg donor and surrogate mother, so she understands the business and loopholes in the laws.

Using her experience and network of contacts with other agents, fertility clinics, and centres, she began recruiting women and referring them to the different fertility centres.

Police claimed that she used to charge hefty amounts as an agent for each successful procedure. She targeted financially vulnerable women, persuaded them to donate eggs or become surrogates, and kept them at her residence, collecting additional maintenance charges from the hospitals, the release said.

Her son, a Chemical Engineering graduate, assisted her in running the illegal business, which served as their sole source of income, police said.

The donors and surrogate mothers involved were aware that commercial surrogacy is prohibited by law, but were part of it for financial gain. The alleged involvement of the fertility clinics and centres is still under investigation.

A case was registered against the accused under relevant sections of Surrogacy Regulation Act, Assisted Reproductive Technology Act and BNS Act. Efforts were underway to identify and apprehend other persons connected to the illegal racket.
(With PTI inputs)