Secunderabad: Court rejects bail plea of Pachipala Namratha, son Jayanth Krishna in Srushti surrogacy case

Hyderabad: Secunderabad Sessions Court has rejected the bail applications of Pachipala Namratha, the prime accused in the sensational Universal Srushti Fertility Centre case, and her son, Pachipala SS Jayanth Krishna.

Krishna is accused number two in the case.

The mother-son duo is accused of running an interstate surrogacy and child trafficking racket.

Prosecution argues for continued custody

The Additional Public Prosecutor (APP) opposed the bail plea, stating that crucial digital evidence was still being gathered and DNA tests were underway to trace more victims of the alleged racket.

The APP further submitted that the accused were involved in several other related cases and their custodial interrogation was vital to unearth the wider network. Granting them bail, he argued, would hamper the ongoing probe.

Defence questions DNA reports

Counsel for the accused challenged the credibility of the DNA reports, pointing out that they were conducted in a private laboratory. He also informed the court that Jayanth Krishna’s wedding was scheduled for August 14 in Vijayawada and urged for bail on humanitarian grounds.

Court stands firm

After hearing both sides, the Sessions Court refused to grant bail, observing that the investigation was at a crucial stage and the release of the accused could obstruct the process.

Case now with SIT

Given the seriousness of the allegations, the Hyderabad City Police transferred the case to a Special Investigation Team (SIT) for a deeper inquiry. The SIT is tasked with uncovering the full scale of the racket, identifying interstate links, and bringing more culprits to book.

Background of the Case

The Universal Srushti Fertility Centre, based in Hyderabad, came under the scanner earlier this year after police unearthed a suspected racket involving illegal surrogacy practices and child trafficking across multiple states.

Investigators alleged that newborns were being trafficked under the guise of fertility treatments, with fabricated documents used to hand over babies to unsuspecting clients.

The case also triggered shockwaves across Telangana and neighbouring states, leading to multiple arrests, including that of Namratha, believed to be the key operator, and her son.

The case has since exposed disturbing loopholes in fertility regulation and child protection mechanisms in the country, making it one of the most closely watched investigations in recent times.