Doctor Arrested in Telangana for Money Laundering and Child Trafficking

Overview of the Case

In New Delhi, a doctor who owns a fertility center in Telangana was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Friday. The arrest is part of an investigation into money laundering charges connected to an illegal surrogacy and child trafficking operation.

Allegations Against the Doctor

The doctor is accused of acquiring infants from impoverished and vulnerable parents and misrepresenting them as babies born through surrogacy. Investigations revealed that she allegedly paid approximately Rs 3.5 lakh for female infants and Rs 4.5 lakh for male infants.

Arrest Details

Identified as the owner of the Universal Srushti Fertility Research Centre in Hyderabad, the doctor was detained on Thursday. Reports indicate she was “evasive and non-cooperative” during questioning, according to the news agency PTI. A local court in Nampally, Hyderabad, has since remanded her to judicial custody until February 26.

Background of the Investigation

The money laundering allegations stem from an FIR filed at the Gopalapuram police station in Hyderabad, which charged her with fraud, cheating, criminal conspiracy, illegal surrogacy, and child trafficking. The ED claims that since 2014, the doctor has been providing newborns to childless couples as part of a surrogacy racket orchestrated through her clinic, along with her employees and agents.

Previous Legal Issues

The doctor was previously arrested by state police but was granted bail in November 2025. The ongoing investigation by the ED revealed that she collected substantial amounts of money from childless couples, promising them children through surrogate mothers.

Details of the Operation

To create the appearance of a legitimate surrogacy process, the clinic collected gametes from the couples for implantation into surrogate mothers. However, the infants were allegedly sourced from poor parents who were unable to care for them or wished to terminate their pregnancies.

Involvement of Agents

The ED’s investigation uncovered a network of agents and sub-agents who facilitated the operation by recruiting needy pregnant women, often luring them with financial incentives to relinquish their children shortly after birth.

Financial Transactions

The doctor reportedly paid around Rs 3.5 lakh for female infants and Rs 4.5 lakh for male infants. Deliveries were conducted at her hospital in Visakhapatnam after the license for her Secunderabad facility was revoked by authorities.

Forgery and Misrepresentation

The ED alleged that the doctor forged birth reports sent to municipal authorities, listing childless couples as the legal parents instead of the biological parents. The agency also stated that she continued her fraudulent surrogacy practices despite facing multiple legal challenges and the suspension of her medical license.

Related Developments

In connection with this case, the Andhra Pradesh government has suspended three doctors implicated in the baby-selling racket.