Hyderabad Police Expand Arrests in Fake surrogacy Racket, Netting More Doctors
Hyderabad, India – Hyderabad police have arrested two additional doctors from King George Hospital (KGH) in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, in connection with a widening examination into a fraudulent surrogacy operation. The arrests of Dr. Vasupalli Ravi, head of anaesthesiology, and Dr. Usha Devi, associate professor in the gynaecology department, follow the interrogation of Dr. A. Namratha, identified as the prime suspect in the case.The arrests, carried out on Thursday, bring the total number of medical professionals implicated in the scandal to three. Dr. Vidyullatha, a paediatrician also from KGH, was previously arrested on august 4th for allegedly substituting for Dr.Namratha and was later granted conditional bail on Saturday.
The investigation began with the arrest of Dr. Namratha on July 27th. According to Inspector M. Madhu Kumar of Gopalpuram police station,the latest arrests were directly prompted by information provided by Dr. namratha during questioning. The two doctors were transported to Hyderabad and remanded to judicial custody Thursday night.
Police are currently examining the financial records of all suspects, alongside investigating the roles of three women – Vijaya, Saroja, and Ratna – who have been arrested for allegedly acting as intermediaries within the network.
Preliminary findings indicate a long-standing connection between the implicated doctors. Dr.Ravi, Dr. Usha Devi, and Dr. Namratha all graduated with their MBBS degrees from Andhra Medical College in 1988. Investigators believe Dr. Usha Devi provided obstetric care at Dr. Namratha’s Srushti Centre, while Dr. Vidyullatha allegedly monitored the health of infants born through the surrogacy arrangements.
King george Hospital Superintendent Dr. I. Vani has stated that the hospital itself had no involvement in the illegal activities of the Worldwide Srushti Fertility Centre. She clarified that the doctors’ alleged involvement appears to be in their individual capacities. Dr. Vani confirmed the hospital has been unable to contact the arrested doctors and intends to pursue legal action pending the completion of the police investigation report.
The case highlights growing concerns surrounding unregulated fertility practices and the potential for exploitation within the surrogacy industry. Further details are expected as the police investigation continues.