Dr Namratha accused of cheating couples, faking documents, and running clinics without licence
Hyderabad: Dr Athaluri Namratha, 64, owner of Universal Srushti Fertility Centre that is at the centre of a child sale racket, had hired private persons including local doctors to attract couples suffering with infertility issues and cheated more than 15 couples over a few years, police said.
More than 10 cases were registered against Dr Namratha earlier, at Maharanipeta, Two Town police of Visakhapatnam, Gopalapuram of Hyderabad and Kothapeta of Guntur in Andhra Pradesh.
Taking advantage of loopholes in law in connection with the surrogacy and IVF, Dr Namratha allegedly formed a gang with the clinic operators in rural areas of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. Namratha also maintained an online team to attract couples to get treatment at her hospital. In the fresh case, the couple approached the doctor online.
The Hyderabad police on Monday filed a petition before the court seeking custody of Dr Namratha for questioning. The police alleged that Dr Namratha was notorious for conducting illegal surrogacies and IVF treatments and cheating couples.
“The accused used to charge Rs 20 lakh to Rs 30 lakh from each couple. She received the fee in the form of cash in a number of cases. She also indulged in offering commission of ten per cent to the local clinics for referring the patients," the Hyderabad police said.
In the remand report, the Gopalapuram police categorically stated that dr Narmatha indulged in illegal activities by providing treatment for surrogacy and IVF without possessing valid permission even after medical and health department officials cancelled the licences.
Dr Namratha created a fake and forced document of the letter heads, bills and others on other names by running a clinic in Secunderabad illegally, the remand report said.
The police said they could get more information by questioning the accused in police custody and they need to know on how the accused arranged women for surrogacy treatment by getting huge amounts from the patients.
The police also furnished the details of patients who were cheated by the accused previously and submitted FIRs registered against her at different places in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.
The State Human Rights Commission has taken suo motu cognizance of reports published in the media on alleged illegal and unethical surrogacy practices at Universal Srushti Fertility Centre in Secunderabad and its associated clinics in Hyderabad, Vijayawada, and Visakhapatnam.
In response, the TGHRC has directed the principal secretary, health, to submit a detailed report on the matter by August 28.
