Last week, the ED arrested Dr Athuluri Namratha alias Pachipalli Namratha under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act. ADVERTISEMENTNamratha used to run Srushti Fertility & Research Centre that allegedly supplied babies not biologically related to couples opting for surrogacy. “The initial probe suggest that several doctors and middlemen are part of this massive illegal surrogacy and child trafficking racket in Hyderabad,” an ED official said. The ED had initiated its probe based on multiple FIRs registered by Gopalapuram police station related to charges of fraud, cheating, criminal conspiracy, illegal surrogacy and child trafficking. “Part of these amounts were paid to the agents/sub-agents as their commission and also to the biological parents of the trafficked babies,” the ED said.

Source: The Telegraph February 17, 2026 02:04 UTC