Former IVF clinic employees arrested in India over child trafficking

Former IVF clinic agents and two nurses are among those arrested in connection with trafficking of newborn babies in Bengaluru, India.

Police took custody of a 20-day old baby the gang were trying to sell to a childless couple, in November 2023 after a tip-off. They now have evidence at least ten babies have been sold by the gang and suspect over 50 babies may have been trafficked. So far 11 people have been arrested, among them individuals who worked as agents for IVF clinics before commercial surrogacy was banned in India in January 2022 (see BioNews 1125). Police said they were also now aware of illegal surrogacy arrangements in the neighbouring state of Tamil Nadu, where most of those arrested reside.

Bengaluru city police commissioner B Dayananda said: 'We suspect that some of the doctors and the hospital staff were also involved in the crime,' Indian Express reported. Police have since shut three out of the four hospitals suspected of involvement.

Some of the suspects are alleged to have used their own contacts with receptionists of these hospitals, and people in hospital records, to identify people having trouble conceiving, in order to approach them with an offer to buy a baby. Police are continuing investigations into other doctors and hospitals they believe may have been involved.

A man was arrested in Bangalore, Bengaluru, for operating a clinic under a fake medical license to provide fraudulent birth certificates for the child-trafficking ring.

Following a 2015 ban on commercial surrogacy for foreigners in India (see BioNews 874), the Surrogacy Regulation Act 2021 banned commercial surrogacy outright and introduced stronger protections for altruistic surrogates along with restrictions on eligible couples.

The case has now been referred to India's Crime Investigation Department.