Prayagraj Police Intensifies Probe into Illegal Ova Extraction Racket Following Arrests
In a significant crackdown, Prayagraj police have arrested five persons, including four women, for their alleged involvement in the kidnapping of a minor girl and the illegal extraction of her ova at a local IVF centre using forged documents. The authorities are now accelerating investigations to dismantle the entire network and bring all perpetrators to justice.
Police Action and Official Statements
DCP (Ganga Nagar) Kuldeep Singh informed TOI, "We have written a letter to district health authorities to scrutinize the norms, rules, and regulations of hospitals engaged in surrogacy." He emphasized that the police department has launched a detailed investigation, verifying documents, facts, and figures to ensure a thorough probe.
The DCP added, "Police have quizzed all five arrested persons, including all four women, at length and chalked out a further course of action." This includes focusing on other key operatives involved in the illegal trade.
Details of the Arrests and Charges
The arrested individuals include Palak Hela and her mother Rinki Hela from Kareli, Kalpana Bhartiya of Tharwai, and Seema Bhartiya along with her son Himanshu Bhartiya from Cooper Road. They are accused of enticing a 15-year-old girl and facilitating the ova extraction racket through the use of forged documents.
An FIR has been registered under sections 140(4), 137(2), 143(4), and 351(2) of the IPC, as well as section 3/5(1) of the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Act, 2021. Police are now zeroing in on other major racketeers linked to this illicit activity.
Investigation Insights and Racket Modus Operandi
Police revealed that after arresting a registered agent of the IVF centre, they are working on information provided by her, particularly regarding the preparation of forged documents. Authorities are also exploring potential links between illegal ova extraction and religious conversion, as well as the financial incentives offered to victims.
According to police, the mother of the minor girl admitted that her daughter was in contact with a woman who enticed her with promises of a large sum of money for ova extraction. The mother brought her to a one-stop centre on February 3, where her statement was recorded before the Child Welfare Committee (CWC).
The survivor stated that she visited a local IVF centre with Palak, where the ova extraction procedure was carried out. Palak and her mother allegedly lured the girl into becoming an IVF donor in exchange for substantial money and a high-end mobile phone. After the minor agreed, they took her to Seema Bhartiya, where forged documents, including a fake Aadhaar card, were prepared to falsely depict her as an adult and married.
Seema then took the victim to a registered agent of the IVF centre, where a fake consent affidavit was created. On January 20, using these forged documents, the accused managed to execute the ova extraction at the IVF centre.
Ongoing Investigations and Background Checks
Police are compiling the backgrounds of all arrested persons, especially the women who allegedly enticed innocent and poor girls for illegal ova extraction and were involved in religious conversion. The phone details of the arrested individuals are being examined, and investigations are underway into the areas and locations where these activities have been carried out over the past few years.
The racketeers were reportedly experts in brainwashing victims, even taking them to religious sites to gain their trust. This case highlights the urgent need for stricter regulations and vigilance in the surrogacy and IVF sectors to prevent such exploitation.
