Director of Nashik IVF Centre Arrested in Alleged Egg Extraction and Sale Racket
Overview of the Arrest and Immediate Legal Action
A doctor who serves as the director of an IVF centre registered in Nashik was arrested on Wednesday in connection with an alleged scheme to extract and sell human eggs from economically vulnerable women in Maharashtra. Police say the suspect was working out of locations in Badlapur and Ulhasnagar and was produced before the Kalyan sessions court, which remanded him to five days of police custody. The arrested doctor has been booked under the Surrogacy (Regulation) Act, 2021. To date, five persons — all women — have been taken into custody as part of the ongoing probe.
Official Statements and Investigative Leads
Deputy Commissioner of Police Sachin Gore told investigators that preliminary inquiries indicate the involvement of three principal accused women who were in direct contact with the IVf centre in Nashik. Investigators have raised concerns that the operation may extend beyond local boundaries, with possible interstate and even international links involving multiple cities. Police have identified around 10 women so far as potential victims, while acknowledging that the actual number may exceed 20 as the inquiry continues.
How the Alleged Racket Operated
Alleged Modus Operandi
According to police accounts, the network was allegedly run by three women who operated from residential premises in Badlapur and Ulhasnagar. One of the accused is said to have stored injections used for ovarian stimulation at her home. The trio is accused of luring economically vulnerable women with monetary incentives, administering ovum-stimulating injections at their residences, and then sending the women to the IVF centre for medical procedures to extract eggs. Police allege those extracted eggs were subsequently sold unlawfully. Authorities further indicated that the IVF centre was licensed to operate only in Nashik but may have been functioning in Thane without proper authorisation.
Allegations of Repeat Donations and Lack of Follow-up Care
Legislators and investigators have highlighted claims that poor women were induced to undergo repeated hormonal injections and egg extraction under the guise of legitimate IVF and surrogacy services. It has been alleged that some women donated eggs eight to 10 times, a frequency that purportedly far exceeds legally permitted limits, and were returned without adequate medical follow-up. These allegations form a key part of the ongoing criminal and regulatory probe.
State Government and Legislative Response
Political Reaction and Calls for Immediate Action
The case prompted swift attention in the state legislative council. The Minister of State for Home, Yogesh Kadam, described the racket as “extremely serious” and pledged stringent action. Deputy chairperson Neelam Gorhe directed that the registrations of the accused doctors be cancelled, and a legislator, Chitra Wagh, raised concerns in the House about the exploitation of marginalised women.
Policy Measures Announced
Following the allegations, officials said steps would be taken to tighten verification and monitoring. The home minister announced that Aadhaar authentication would be made mandatory to reduce the possibility of fake identities being used to register the same woman multiple times. He also said all IVF centres would be linked to a centralised monitoring system to enhance oversight. At present, Maharashtra is reported to have around 860 IVF centres, underscoring the scale of regulatory coverage required.
Regulatory and Enforcement Steps Underway
Inspections, Notices and Potential Legal Escalation
Authorities have announced joint inspections to be conducted by the home and health departments through district-level panels comprising the superintendent of police and the civil surgeon. The Nashik Municipal Corporation has issued a notice to the arrested doctor, and documents related to the IVF centre are under scrutiny. Action has also been initiated against unauthorised sonography centres believed to be associated with the operation.
Officials indicated that, depending on the course of investigations, the government may consider invoking more stringent provisions, including those under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA), if warranted by the evidence. Separately, the deputy chairperson has directed that the Indian Medical Council be formally informed so it can initiate proceedings to consider cancellation of the accused doctors’ registrations.
Scope of the Investigation
Investigators are exploring whether the network extends beyond the immediate localities and whether centres in other states may be involved. The probe is examining the role of the arrested doctor as an alleged surrogate mother agent and tracing any transactional routes through which eggs may have been sold. Police continue to interview detained suspects and potential victims while compiling documentary and electronic evidence to substantiate the allegations.
Implications and Next Steps
Accountability, Oversight and Victim Identification
Authorities emphasise that the investigation is active and that further arrests or legal actions could follow as more evidence emerges. The demand for stricter regulatory oversight has been amplified by legislative calls for cancellation of medical registrations where wrongdoing is substantiated. Officials have signalled a commitment to strengthen identity verification, monitoring, and inter-departmental inspections to prevent commercial exploitation of vulnerable women under medical pretences.
Ongoing Proceedings and Public Interest
The case remains under active investigation and will be adjudicated through the criminal justice process in due course. Police and regulatory bodies are compiling their findings to support charges under applicable laws, and the legislative and administrative measures announced are intended to address systemic vulnerabilities exposed by the allegations. Medichelpline will continue to monitor official updates as the probe progresses and as authorities disclose further findings.