Authorities in Gurgaon have sealed an unregistered in vitro fertilisation (IVF) and surrogacy centre operating out of Sushant Lok 1, following a raid that uncovered multiple regulatory violations, including the presence of 84 embryos and untrained staff.
The action followed an anonymous tip sent to Gurgaon Chief Medical Officer Dr Alka Singh earlier this month. “I received an anonymous email stating that an illegal IVF and surrogacy centre had been running for over a year at Block B of Sushant Lok 1,” Dr Singh said.
After consulting with the Haryana Director-General of Health Services, Dr Singh was advised to coordinate with the local Deputy Commissioner. “Subsequently, on Tuesday, we formed a six-member team, including a Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM), after discussions with him. The state board (under the PCPNDT Act) authorised us to take action, and we proceeded with the inspection last Wednesday,” she told The Indian Express Saturday.
The centre, which had been operational for approximately a year, was found to be functioning without the required registration. “The centre was not registered, and their registry was not maintained properly,” Dr Singh said. “The doctors and embryologists present were not adequately trained, and in some cases, there were barely one or two doctors. They had permission for an ultrasound machine but lacked approval for Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) procedures.”
Authorities discovered 84 embryos stored at the facility, raising further concern. Staff at the centre claimed that samples were sent to Delhi for processing, but officials believe procedures may have been conducted on-site. “After observing their activities, it appeared that these procedures were being conducted on-site, contrary to their claims,” Dr Singh added.
While the presence of a large number of embryos has triggered questions, officials said there is no evidence yet to suggest the use of donor eggs from economically disadvantaged women or the provision of services to foreign clients. “We cannot definitively say what was used or not,” Dr Singh said.
The centre has since been sealed, and all equipment seized. “It takes time to get authorisation and manage such cases, especially with 84 embryos involved,” she said, explaining the delay between the raid and the filing of the case.
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The first information report (FIR) was lodged on Thursday at the DLF police station in Sector 29, marking the first such case against an IVF centre in Haryana. A police spokesperson confirmed that the investigation is underway. “The FIR was filed on the complaint by the health department. They have all the details on the devices and other material seized as of now,” the spokesperson said.
Dr Sabu George, a long-time campaigner against female foeticide and member of the National Inspection and Monitoring Committee under the PCPNDT Act, said the development was not unexpected. “It is not surprising at all. Over the years Gurgaon has become even more exclusive of a space than South Delhi, where demand for such facilities increases. Government oversight and implementation of the relevant laws post-registration of these centres is often found wanting,” Dr George said.