Who will take care of surrogate moms: Hyderabad High Court

Hyderabad: The Hyderabad High Court on Thursday issued notice to the state government directing it to explain the steps being taken to safeguard the unborn babies and surrogate mothers who have been left in the lurch after the police raided an infertility centre in the city, which was allegedly operating without following the rules.

A division bench of acting Chief Justice Ramesh Ranganathan and Justice T. Rajani was hearing a suo motu motion based on a letter written by Justice Suresh Kumar Kait to the Chief Justice of the High Court referring to news reports of June 19, 2017, including in Deccan Chronicle, with regard to the police raid. He sought appropriate direction to the authorities concerned to safeguard the surrogate mothers.

The court asked the authorities to explain who would take responsibility for the 48 surrogate mothers who were found living in the premises awaiting deliveries.

Justice Ranganathan said that under no circumstances must the identities of the surrogate mothers be revealed. He cautioned that if their privacy is violated, the court will hold the state accountable. 

Mr B.S. Prasad, the government pleader representing the medical and health department, assured the court that the state was ready to take care of the women.

Justice Suresh Kumar Kait had written the letter, moved by the plight of the unborn babies and surrogate mothers. He brought to the notice of the Chief Justice that 48 surrogate mothers between seven to nine months pregnant were discovered by the police at Sai Kiran Hospital & Kiran Infertility Centre at Banjara Hills in the city on June 17, 2017 and they have nowhere to go as the centre has been sealed by the police.

The judge said that 60 per cent of the surrogates are bearing babies for Non-Resident Indian clients and 40 per cent of them are single parents, and as the clients are not likely to come back after the raid, what will the surrogate mother do with the child?

After perusing the letter of the judge, the PIL Committee headed by the Justice took up the letter as a PIL and issued notices to the respondents.