Exposing the Illicit Adoption Racket in Hyderabad
Unveiling the Network
Hyderabad’s Universal Srushti Fertility Centre has been at the center of a significant bust revealing an illegal adoption racket. Authorities report that vulnerable women, particularly from impoverished backgrounds, are being manipulated into selling their newborns for financial gain, masquerading under the guise of surrogacy.
Legal Ramifications
Initially perceived as a fraudulent surrogacy case, investigations led the Gopalapuram police to invoke the Juvenile Justice (JJ) Act due to the illegal sale of infants. Officials emphasize that a lack of regulatory oversight, poor grassroots awareness, and pervasive poverty facilitate these criminal activities.
Vulnerable Populations
“Women are being exploited, often unaware of their rights,” stated a member of the Child Welfare Committee (CWC). Many women in areas like Medchal, which are home to large migrant populations, lack access to family planning resources. The absence of a sterilization culture leads to frequent unplanned pregnancies. When financial burdens become unbearable, brokers entice these women with false promises of money, resulting in the sale of their babies after birth.
Broader Implications
The issue of unplanned pregnancies also affects unmarried girls. For instance, a recent case in Ramanthapur involved a newborn discovered with internal injuries, abandoned near a garbage dump. After being admitted to Niloufer Hospital, the infant remains under medical observation. “Many young women come from small towns and face pregnancy due to misinformation or coercion,” an official noted, emphasizing the lack of support systems, which leads to desperate circumstances.
Challenges in Tracking Deliveries
ASHA workers highlighted concerning trends among young women who migrate for education. These women often deliver in private hospitals to evade official documentation, effectively disappearing post-delivery. A worker mentioned, “They tend to provide fake names and addresses. Once they give birth, they vanish, leaving no records behind.” Subsequently, the fate of the newborns—whether they are adopted, trafficked, or abandoned—remains largely unknown.
The Regulatory Gap
“Numerous clinics are operating without essential registrations, licenses, or oversight,” remarked a senior official. “The District Medical Health Officer (DMHO) should enforce compliance, and the Telangana Medical Council must hold practitioners accountable. Their inaction has allowed these rackets to thrive, with the most vulnerable—namely the infants—suffering as a consequence.”
Next Steps for Affected Infants
In a related development, a baby born to individuals implicated in the racket has been placed in Sishuvihar in Hyderabad. Officials are currently withholding comments regarding the child’s health status. The infant is set to be deemed Legally Fit for Adoption (LFA) and registered with the Central Adoption Resource Authority (CARA), making it eligible for adoption in the near future.
