Egg Donation Racket Exploits Women in India

Authorities in Thane and Badlapur are conducting raids on sonography and IVF centers to verify operational licenses. These actions follow the recent exposure of a thriving human egg extraction racket in Badlapur. The racket allegedly operated from an apartment and involved an IVF center that offered victims ₹25,000 to ₹30,000 per egg donation cycle, potentially exploiting around 40 women. The Maharashtra State Women's Commission chairperson has instructed health, police, and FDA officials to investigate, suspecting the network's operations extend beyond Badlapur.

Commission chairperson Rupali Chakankar highlighted that the arrested individuals lack paramedical qualifications and may have endangered women's lives during egg extraction procedures, which require hormonal injections, anesthesia, and qualified medical supervision. One accused nurse allegedly conducted scans without a doctor's prescription, sending videos to agents in other states for recipient selection. Many exploited women are from financially weak backgrounds.

Investigations reveal that some centers, like Malti IVF Centre, operated branches without authorization, despite having permission for locations elsewhere. Donors reportedly donated eggs multiple times illegally, using fake identification documents and traveling across the state. The racket came to light when a woman reported not being paid for a donation, leading police to a raid where ovulation stimulation injections were found.