Women Lured With Jobs, Exploited In Hyderabad
Women’s Commission questions five fertility centres over alleged illegal egg collection; 50 victims have been identified.
Unmarried women from other states were allegedly brought to Hyderabad with promises of jobs in event management and housed in hostels before being exploited for illegal egg collection, Telangana State Women’s Commission Chairperson Nerella Sharada told Deccan Chronicle on Monday.
She said the commission had spoken to 50 affected women, all below 35 years of age, and found several disturbing details.
One of the women was two months pregnant when she was allegedly administered hormonal injections, following which she suffered a miscarriage, Sharada said. The women were allegedly lured with payments of ₹30,000, while their Aadhaar card details were reportedly altered to change their ages.
The commission questioned the Hyderabad District Medical and Health Officer (DMHO) and representatives of five fertility centres following allegations by victims in an illegal egg collection racket busted by the Malkajgiri Police Commissionerate.
The five centres are Indira IVF Centre, Narmada Fertility Centre, Oasis Fertility Centre, Sadguru ART Centre and Padmaja Fertility Centre. Their representatives appeared before the Commission on Monday following notices, along with the DMHO and a team of medical officials.
Sharada expressed displeasure that the main management representatives of the fertility centres did not attend the inquiry and instead sent their employees. The commission questioned each centre’s representatives separately based on media reports and complaints received from victims and collected written explanations from them.
The commission also questioned the medical officials at length and directed them to investigate the allegations against the hospitals and fertility centres. Sharada said the permissions of centres found to be involved in illegal activities should be cancelled immediately.
She further expressed concern over the alleged role of a person identified as Dr Hussain, whom she described as the main accused. She questioned why the police had not disclosed details about him.
The commission will prepare a detailed report and submit it to the government. The fertility centre managements have been asked to appear again on November 13. Sharada warned that only the principal management representatives would be allowed to attend the next inquiry and that sending employees in their place would not be accepted.
