Multiple people arrested in India for baby-selling surrogacy scam

A fertility clinic in India has been caught in an illegal surrogacy and baby-selling scheme after a couple complained that the baby they had through surrogacy was not genetically related to either of them.

Key Takeaways:

• A doctor and her son were arrested for scamming people who thought they were paying surrogates to carry their biological children.

• In reality, the babies were not biologically related but had been purchased.

• The doctor has more than 10 cases against her; some include illegally trafficking newborns.

• Commercial surrogacy is banned in India, while altruistic surrogacy is legal.

The Details:

A task force in India discovered that a fertility center was involved in an illegal surrogacy ring and baby-purchasing scam. It was originally reported that a connected sperm bank also used sperm from pedestrians and beggars, but police clarified that those specific reports are baseless.

According to reports, authorities detained at least six people, including staff and operators. Dr. Athaluri Namratha, 64, who owns the business, was arrested along with her son, an attorney.

The facility’s license had been canceled in 2021, but it continued to operate in multiple locations.

The Backstory:

According to NDTV, the discovery was made following a complaint from a couple who did DNA testing and found that the baby born for them via surrogate was not genetically related to either of them. An investigation began and uncovered fake documents, forged procedures, and the illegal sale of newborns.

The couple had visited the Universal Srushti Fertility Centre in Secunderabad in August 2024 to undergo IVF treatment. But police say that the facility offered them a “shortcut” to a child via surrogacy and told them the baby would be their biological child. They paid Rs 35 lakh for the IVF and surrogacy ($40,150).

In June 2025, they were told the surrogate had given birth to a baby boy, and they were asked to pay another Rs 2 lakh ($2,300). They were then given the baby along with forged documents stating that he was their biological son. They demanded that a DNA test be carried out, which the clinic repeatedly postponed. The couple then ran an independent DNA test and found that the child is not biologically related to either of them.

Police found that the baby was purchased from an underprivileged couple that was paid Rs 90,000 ($1,000) for their baby. That couple was arrested along with the clinic staff.

More than 10 cases have been filed against Namratha, including another complaint about a baby who was not related to the parents and a 2020 arrest for trafficking newborns.

“This is clearly a case of illegal commercial surrogacy, which is banned in India,” said DCP S Rashmi Perumal. “Only altruistic surrogacy is allowed under the law. This woman and her team exploited both desperate couples and poor mothers for profit.”

The Bottom Line:

The fertility industry is unregulated and ripe for scandal. Cases like these are not unique to India or other foreign countries. They happen regularly, even in the United States.

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