Illegal human egg trading network uncovered in Madhapur, Kondapur and Somajiguda clinics

Hyderabad: The Pet-Basheerabad Police have uncovered a large-scale commercial surrogacy and illegal human egg trading network operating in Hyderabad.

Acting on credible intelligence, authorities arrested eight individuals, seven women and a man, allegedly exploiting infertile couples for monetary gain.

Accused identified

The agents have been identified as Narreddula Laxmi Reddy alias Laxmi, (45), wife of Chenna Reddy, resident of Chinthal, Quthbullapur, Andhra Pradesh native; and Narreddula Narender Reddy, (27), unemployed, son of Chenna Reddy, resident of Chinthal, Quthbullapur.

The donors surrogate mothers have been identified as Golconda Sai Leela, (39), wife of G Dilip, Kanapur, Bidar District, Karnataka native; Malagalla Venkata Laxmi, (30), wife of Venkateshwarlu, Chinna Beerampally, Andhra Pradesh; and P Sunitha, (23), wife of P Venkat Reddy, Peerukonda, Andhra Pradesh.

Sadala Satyavathi, (29), wife of Koduri Durga Prasad, Chinna Beerampally, Andhra Pradesh; Pantada Aparna, (30), wife of P Naresh, Vepagunta, Vijayanagaram District; and J Ramanamma, (39), wife of J Adinarayana, Pospeta, Vijayanagaram District.

Clinics under probe

Several fertility clinics are alleged to have been linked with the racket, though their involvement is still being verified: Hegde Fertility Hospital (Madhapur), Anu Test Tube Centre (Somajiguda), FertyCare (Banjara Hills), EVA IVF, Amulya IVF Centre, and Sree Fertility Centre (Kondapur)

Modus operandi

DCP Cyberabad N Koti Reddy said that the investigation revealed that Narreddula Laxmi Reddy, a former egg donor and surrogate mother, leveraged her experience and network to recruit women for egg donation and surrogacy.

She referred them to fertility centres and collected significant fees for each successful procedure.

The DCP further said that financially vulnerable women were persuaded to participate and were often housed at her residence, where additional maintenance charges were collected. Her son, Narender Reddy, a JNTU Chemical Engineering graduate, assisted in running the operation, which served as the family’s primary source of income.

The donors and surrogate mothers were aware that commercial surrogacy is illegal but participated for financial gain. Authorities are still verifying the alleged involvement of the fertility clinics, Koti Reddy said.

Material recovered

Police seized Rs 6,47,000 in cash from Narreddula Laxmi Reddy, Lenovo laptop, promissory notes, and non-judicial bond papers from Narender Reddy, large quantities of syringes, pregnancy medicines and hormone injections, case sheets from Hegde Hospital, and five smartphones and one keypad mobile.

Previous criminal record

Narreddula Laxmi Reddy was earlier involved in a case registered under FIR No. 41/2024 in Mumbai, under Sections 370, 34 IPC and Sections 75, 81, 83 of the JJ Act.

The accused have been booked under Sections 38, 39, 40, 41 of the Surrogacy Regulation Act, Sections 33, 34 of the Assisted Reproductive Technology Act, and Sections 318(4), 61(2) of the BNS Act. They are being produced before court for judicial proceedings.

Police continue to investigate and track additional suspects connected to the network.