Daijiworld Media Network - Thane

Thane, Feb 22: Police have unearthed an alleged egg-donation racket involving crores of rupees that exploited vulnerable women in Maharashtra’s Thane district. Three women have been arrested in connection with the illegal trade, officials said on Saturday.

The accused have been identified as Sulakshana Gadekar (44), Ashwini Chabukswar (29) and Manjusha Wankhede (46). The racket was operating out of a residential apartment in the Nano City building and a sonography centre at Joveli in Badlapur East.

According to police, the victims were lured with payments of Rs 25,000 to Rs 30,000 per cycle and repeatedly used as egg donors. They were allegedly administered hormonal injections to stimulate egg production and taken for sonography. Once the eggs were ready, they were sent to IVF centres where the eggs were surgically extracted and sold for lakhs of rupees.

Officials said at least 20 women are believed to have fallen prey to the racket so far, resulting in physical exploitation.

The matter came to light after a victim tipped off Dr Jyotsna Sawant, Chief Medical Officer of Thane Sub-District Hospital. Acting on the information, police conducted a raid at Gadekar’s residence.

During the search, police recovered photographs of injections used in connection with pregnancy procedures, sonography reports, affidavits bearing false names, fake documents and evidence of financial transactions from the mobile phones of the accused.
Ulhasnagar Deputy Commissioner of Police Sachin Gore said the racket was earlier operating in Vangani before recently shifting its base to Badlapur.

“We are probing the involvement of IVF centres, doctors and hospitals. High-profile names may surface as the turnover of this illegal trade is estimated to be in crores,” Gore said.

A case has been registered under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Assisted Reproductive Technology (Regulation) Act. Further investigation is underway.