What happens to the children, women’s commission chief asks Hyd police after surrogacy raid

Days after the Hyderabad police raided the Sai Kiran Infertility Centre at Banjara Hills, no decision has been taken on the future of the 48 women who signed up to be surrogate mothers, and were kept confined in the hospital building.

On Wednesday, Telangana State Women's Commission shot off letters to the District Medical and Health Officer (DMHO) and the police department seeking an answer.

According to the Deccan Chronicle, Commission Chairperson Tripurana Venkataratnam was concerned about what would happen to the 48 children who will be born, and wrote, “Is there a plan with the police department or women and child welfare? Who will bear the maintenance of the surrogate mothers pre and post-delivery and the maintenance of children?” The entire incident came to light last week on Saturday, when the Hyderabad Central Zone Task Force raided the centre.

The police said that the infertility centre hired brokers, and was collecting Rs 15 to Rs 30 lakh from their clients, while only paying Rs 3 lakh to the 48 mothers who had 'rented' their wombs.

The women were kept in the second and third floor of the building where they were being provided with food, medicine, and Rs 10,000 as subsistence allowance.

"We have verified all the documents. Some irregularities were found; the hospital management should register for surrogacy but they are running the hospital illegally. The management is not even permitting the surrogate pregnant women to go out; they are illegally forcing them to be in the hospital for nine months,” K. Padmaja, District Medical Officer (DMO), had told ANI earlier.

However, many women staying in the centre said that they were not being forced for the surrogacy.

TNM spoke to some of them earlier.

Read: The surrogacy dilemma: Rescued Hyd women say they don't want ban, only better conditions