MUMBAI: Illegal IVF centres and those involved in illegal egg donation rackets may face action under the stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA), with the Maharashtra government expected to introduce a bill to curb these rackets by the year end.
State health minister Prakash Abitkar said the government is in the process of amending the legal framework to bring doctors and hospitals violating the Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (PCPNDT) Act within the ambit of organised crime laws. The proposed amendment will also cover individuals and entities operating illegal IVF centres, following a rise in complaints against such facilities.
Abitkar made the announcement in the state legislative assembly on Wednesday.
The issue was raised by Samajwadi Party MLA Abu Asim Azmi, who said an illegal egg trafficking racket had been uncovered in Ambernath, where egg retrieval procedures were allegedly carried out without the supervision of qualified specialists, in private flats, using unsafe and unscientific methods.
“Economically vulnerable women were lured with a meagre ₹15,000 to ₹20,000, while middlemen earned lakhs from these transactions. The women themselves received only a paltry share of the money,” Azmi said.
Abitkar acknowledged that the police investigation had exposed serious violations involving the illegal sale of human eggs and that the hospital linked to the racket had been sealed. The accused, Dr Amol Patil, had been arrested and the hospital blacklisted. Directions have also been issued to the Maharashtra Medical Council (MMC) to initiate proceedings for cancellation of the doctor’s medical licence, he said.
{{/usCountry}}Abitkar acknowledged that the police investigation had exposed serious violations involving the illegal sale of human eggs and that the hospital linked to the racket had been sealed. The accused, Dr Amol Patil, had been arrested and the hospital blacklisted. Directions have also been issued to the Maharashtra Medical Council (MMC) to initiate proceedings for cancellation of the doctor’s medical licence, he said.
{{/usCountry}}“Following an increase in such incidents, we have constituted a task force to monitor IVF centres along with PCPNDT-registered hospitals and sonography centres. The task force will conduct surprise inspections and take strict action wherever violations are detected,” said the minister said.
On the demand for stricter legal provisions against illegal IVF operators, Abitkar said, “We have held extensive discussions on bringing PCPNDT offenders under the ambit of MCOCA. Three review meetings have been held and the chief minister’s approval has been obtained to take the proposal forward. We intend to introduce the legislation in the next session of the legislature, and offenders operating illegal IVF centres will also be brought under its ambit,” Abitkar told the house.
Acknowledging that IVF treatment is prohibitively expensive, he and said the government would examine whether IVF procedures could be included under the Mahatma Jyotirao Phule Jan Arogya Yojana (MPJAY).
The MPJAY provides cashless treatment for more than 1,200 diseases, surgeries and therapies for economically weaker sections.
Stay updated with all the Breaking News and Latest News from Mumbai. Click here for comprehensive coverage of top Cities including Bengaluru, Delhi, Hyderabad, and more across India along with Stay informed on the latest happenings in World News.
Stay updated with all the Breaking News and Latest News from Mumbai. Click here for comprehensive coverage of top Cities including Bengaluru, Delhi, Hyderabad, and more across India along with Stay informed on the latest happenings in World News.