The Badlapur police arrested Dr Amol Patil, director of Malti IVF Centre in Thane, on Tuesday night, in connection with the alleged illegal human egg extraction and surrogacy racket. Dr Patil has been charged with operating an unauthorised IVF centre in Thane, for conducting illegal surrogacy procedures and selling human eggs. Police are also investigating his and the centre’s possible involvement in international surrogacy and human egg trafficking. Malti IVF Centre is registered in Nashik.
Dr Patil is the sixth person arrested in the case. Recently, four women and one man were taken into custody for their alleged involvement in the racket, which was being operated from an apartment in Badlapur.
Sachin Gore, deputy commissioner of police, Zone 4, told Hindustan Times, “We had summoned Dr Patil to examine his role in the racket. The arrested agents and other accused were reporting directly to him. After interrogation, we arrested him for running the Thane center without legal permissions, his involvement in illegal egg extraction and suspected links to an international surrogacy racket. He has been remanded to five days police custody.”
Leaders ask for action
Meanwhile, at legislative council on Wednesday, deputy chairperson Neelam Gorhe said that the registration of accused doctor must be cancelled.
BJP MLC Chitra Wagh underscored that many poor women were offered money, their eggs removed and sold for IVF cycles, “which is not just a criminal act, but also commercialisation of body parts of poor women”.
Minister of state for home, Yogesh Kadam, said, “Many Aadhaar cards were used for a single donor. Now, we will make Aadhaar cards mandatory for each registration at the IVF centres.”
Additional reporting by Kaptan Mali
