Ghaziabad: Woman held for conducting prenatal sex-determination tests in car

Once the decoy got out of the Santro after the test result was told to her, she signalled the health department teams. The team rushed towards the spot and nabbed the suspect woman with the help of women constables

A 42-year-old woman was arrested on Monday after she allegedly lured women into undergoing prenatal sex determination tests, the police said on Tuesday, adding that the suspect used to conduct the tests in a mobile van/car, which she used to station in isolated locations to evade detection.

The suspect used to conduct the tests in a mobile van/car, which she used to station in isolated locations to evade detection, said police. (Representational image)

According to officials of the district health department, it was a joint operation by health department teams from Haryana and Ghaziabad that led to the arrest of Minakshi Tyagi, a resident of Sanjay Nagar in Ghaziabad. They said they constituted the team after receiving several complaints against her.

Police said a pregnant woman from Alipur, Delhi, was roped in as decoy after getting her consent. She was sent to Tyagi for a for a prenatal test for a fee of ₹35000. The operation was conducted around 2pm on Monday, police said.

“The decoy came in her car met the suspect at a specific location in Sanjay Nagar. Tyagi then directed the vehicle towards the Duhai interchange on the Eastern Peripheral Expressway (EPE). After reaching the junction, the suspect directed the car towards Gautam Budh Nagar and stopped near Dasna and asked the decoy to walk down the expressway,” said Dr Anurag Sanyog, deputy chief medical officer, Ghaziabad.

The suspect then took the decoy to the other side of the expressway where a man was waiting in a Santro car. The decoy was asked to lie down on the rear seat and the man, in presence of the suspect, performed the sex determination test.

The decoy also paid ₹16,000 to Tyagi in currency notes marked by the health department officials.

Police said the Santro car was parked near Ghaziabad’s Matiyala village and health department teams were following the decoy.

“Once the decoy got out of the Santro after the test result was told to her, she signalled the health department teams. The team rushed towards the spot and nabbed the suspect woman with the help of women constables. The man in the Santro, however, managed to escape,” Dr Sanyog said.

Tyagi later told police that the man in the Santro car was AM Gaur and he was to get ₹11000 for performing the test.

The police said the suspect conducted the illegal test from a mobile van/car to evade the authorities.

“Our teams are trying to trace the suspect who fled in the Santro. An FIR has been registered in this connection at Masuri police station,” said Naresh Kumar, assistant commissioner of police, Masuri/Muradnagar.

An FIR was registered under the provision of Prenatal Diagnostic Techniques (Regulation and Prevention of Misuse) Act and also under Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita sections 318(4) for cheating and 61(2) for criminal conspiracy.