Indian sperm bank raided over suspected illegal practices

A police investigation has revealed significant irregularities at an unlicensed sperm bank in Hyderabad, India, including unauthorised collection and trade of human gametes.

According to Indian news sources, investigators found that the unlicensed centre recruited 'beggars' as donors, reportedly offering up to 4,000 rupees (around £34) per donation and requesting repeat donations every three months. Investigators seized documents and biological samples from the site, and found records of 17 sperm donors and 11 egg donors. Police raided the centre, Indian Sperm Tech, as part of a major crackdown on illegal fertility operations, which began when a couple who entered into a surrogacy arrangement made a police complaint against their Hyderabad clinic.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (North Zone-Hyderabad), Rashmi Perumal, said of the initial clinic investigation: 'The operation allegedly involved luring poor people into surrogacy and the illicit inter-state transfer of reproductive materials.'

Investigators believe that the sperm samples collected illegally at Indian Sperm Tech were funnelled to a fertility clinic in the same locality, and arrested seven people involved. They also found surrogacy applications among the records, suggesting that the centre may be connected with illegal surrogacy networks.

The investigation began after a couple who had paid 3,500,000 rupees (around £30,000) for surrogacy services through a clinic in Hyderabad contacted the police. After conducting DNA tests, the couple discovered that the child born via the clinic was not biologically related to them. Their repeated requests for a DNA test had been stonewalled by the fertility centre, leading them to suspect foul play.

According to the police, the clinic offered vulnerable women money to continue their pregnancies, and misled surrogacy clients into believing the children were theirs biologically. Deputy Commissioner Rashmi Perumal said: 'The victim couple were told that they were going in for surrogacy, but in reality the baby was sold by the original parents and that the baby was shown to this complainant couple (by the accused) as their child.'

According to the police investigation, clinic staff intimidated clients who raised objections, and ten previous complaints had been registered against the clinic owner at different police stations.

Authorities are investigating the possibility of large-scale child trafficking, as evidence points to a sprawling network operating across multiple Indian states, involving both illegal surrogacy arrangements and the trafficking of human gametes.