Badlapur police arrested Dr Amol Patel, director of Malti IVF Center in Thane, on Tuesday night, in connection with illegal human egg retrieval and surrogacy. Dr Patil was accused of running an unauthorized IVF center in Thane, 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. Multi IVF Center is registered in Nashik.
Dr. Patel is the sixth person to be arrested in this case. Recently, four women and one man were detained for their alleged involvement in the racket, which was being run from an apartment in Badlapur.
Sachin Gaur, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Zone 4, told Hindustan Times: “We have 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 permits, being involved in illegal egg extraction, and suspected links to the international surrogacy racket. He has been remanded for five days in police custody.”
Leaders demand action
Meanwhile, in the Legislative Council on Wednesday, Deputy Speaker Neelam Gurhe said the registration of the accused doctor should be cancelled.
Chitra Wagh, Bharatiya Janata Party, MLC, stressed that many poor women were offered money, had their eggs removed and sold for IVF cycles, “which is not just a criminal act, but also marketing of body parts of poor women.”
Minister of State for Home Yogesh Kadam said, “Many Aadhaar cards of one donor were used. Now, we will make Aadhaar cards mandatory for every registration in IVF centres.”
Additional reporting by Captain Mali
