Sex test racket busted, 7 held in Hyderabad

Hyderabad: The Rachakonda police in a joint operation with the Ranga Reddy district health department busted a sex determination racket, located at an illegal private clinic at Yacharam, and arrested seven doctors, including a woman.

The doctors, hailing from the surrounding villages, lured the pregnant women in the villages to undergo sex determination tests at the clinic. The arrested persons were identified as Dr N. Kumara Swamy, 37, an RMP and a resident of Nalgonda, his wife N. Saritha, 35, Dr K. Mallesh, 28, Dr T. Venkatesham, 40, Dr G. Srinivas, 40 and Dr A. Ravi alias Ramesh, 40. Two others who had supplied the scanning equipment are absconding.

M. Venkateshwar Rao, DCP LB Nagar, said that after the district medical and health office got information about the centre, a probe was started and it was found that the centre was operating without a licence, which expired in August 2017.

The doctor duo – Dr Swamy and Dr Saritha — to earn quick money started conducting the tests on pregnant women with the help of Dr J. Raghav Reddy, a recognised sonologist.

As he had the permission to purchase the scanning equipment, the doctor couple approached him and apprised him of their plan to start a scanning centre in Maal village. With his help, they purchased the equipment and started Venkateswara Clinic.

Dr Swamy, who is a practising doctor for the past 17 years, had good contacts with the RMPs in the neighbouring villages, which he used for expanding his sex determination racket.

“Using his network, he trapped clients and conducted the gender determination test. He offered a cut to his doctor friends for referring clients to him. As the process was illegal, he charged huge money,” the DCP said.