Women's Commission begins probe into unethical sale of eggs from poor women

The Telangana Women's Commission has questioned five fertility centres in Hyderabad regarding allegations of collecting eggs (oocytes) from poor women by paying them money and using them in illegal IVF procedures. The Commission has issued notices to the authorities of Indira IVF, Narmada Fertility, Oasis Fertility, Sadguru ART Centre, and Padmaja Fertility Centre.

The Commission's Chairperson, Narela Sarada, took this step after registering a suo motu case on 7 November. Summons were issued to the Managing Directors, Medical Superintendents, and Centre Heads of these institutions to ascertain whether prescribed rules were violated while collecting eggs from women. According to a Commission official, representatives appeared before the Commission and submitted explanations along with records and details of the egg collection processes conducted at their centres. The Commission will decide on further action after evaluating these responses and details.

The entire scam came to light on 31 October, when simultaneous raids were conducted in Hyderabad and 43 women were rescued. According to Malkajgiri Police Commissioner B. Sumathi, this illegal activity was being operated from Venkateshwar Colony under the Sarur Nagar Police Station, and 9 persons involved in this scam have been arrested.

Investigation has revealed that women from economically weaker sections were being offered amounts between ₹20,000 and ₹30,000 for egg donation, while the operators were earning an average of ₹3 lakh per cycle. The main accused, Durga Prasad, used to bring girls from across the country to Hyderabad by offering monetary incentives and kept them in the Shetty Working Women's Hostel located in Venkateshwar Colony. He would collect eggs from these girls every month and supply them to various corporate hospitals and fertility centres at high prices.

Based on information, the Sarur Nagar police arrested Prasad and his 8 associates. 15 women from the hostel were taken to Osmania Hospital for medical examination and subsequently sent to a shelter home. Additionally, 8 women from Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, and Odisha, who had been given money for egg donation, were rescued during a raid on an apartment in Prakash Nagar, Begumpet. This illegal activity was being operated in the name of a working women's hostel.