Sex detection racket busted in Odisha’s Berhampur, 13 held

Berhampur Police on Friday busted an illegal foetus sex detection racket and arrested 13 persons including the main accused and an ASHA worker, in the case. "13 arrested for running interstate ultrasound racket to determine whether foetus of pregnant women was male or female. On detecting a foetus as female, they would arrange for an abortion. Prime accused running this centre for past few years," said Berhampur Superintendent Of Police Saravana Vivek M.

The accused have been identified as Durga Prasad Nayak (41), Akshaya Dalai (24), Hari Mohana Dalai (42) Rina Pradhan (40) (Ashakarmi in CHC, Kholikote) and Rabindranath Satpathy (39) of Sri Durga Pathology.

The other accused are Kali Charan Bisoyi (38) Nirnay Diagnostic and Research Centre, Bhabanagar Chhak, Susant Kumar Nanda (40) of Sai Krupa Seva Sadan Nursing Home, Padma Charan Bhuyan (60) of Jagannath Clinic, Sibaram Pradhan (37) of Josoda Nursing Home, Sumanta Kumar Pradhan (30) of Mrutyunjaya Hospital, Dhabaleswar Nayak (51), Mailapuri Sujata (49) of Smart Hospital and Subash Ch Raut (48) of Ralaba.

The police also seized one LOGIQ-e make Ultrasound machine along with ultrasound probes and connector, one Laminated LOGIQ Book XP Ultrasound machine, Ultrasound transmission gel used for Ultrasound, cash worth Rs 18,200 and one mobile phone.

"Portable ultrasound machine which is banned in India since 2005 has been recovered from the prime accused who was running this racket with the involvement of lab owners, hospital owners and others," added Berhampur SP Saravana Vivek M.Based on reliable information regarding illegal sex determination ultrasound test being conducted using an ultrasound machine at Ananda Nagar, Ankuli, the Berhampur Police team raided the house-cum-clinic run by Durga Prasad Nayak at around 12.30 pm on Thursday.

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The accused was conducting sex selection and eleven pregnant women were present on the first floor of the house. Two ultrasound machines with probes were seized along with other articles, the police said. Durga Prasad Nayak has been running the illegal sex selection centre for more than two-three years without any license and illegally uses the seized ultrasound machine to determine the sex of the foetus of pregnant women, the police stated.

Akshaya Kumar Dalai and Haramohan Dalai have been assisting the accused Durgaprasad Nayak by picking pregnant women from different places and taking them to the house of the accused to determine of sex of the foetus.

On Thursday, Rina Pradhan, who is an ASHA worker, brought two pregnant women from her village for the test to his house and received a commission from the accused Durga Prasad Nayak, said Police. Other accused persons who are employed in different labs and private clinics are found to be sending the pregnant women to the clinic through Akshya Dalai and Haramohan Dalai for sex determination of foetus and were receiving commission from Durga Nayak regularly.

All the accused persons have been arrested and are being forwarded to court today, said Berhampur SP Saravana Vivek M, adding that a further investigation is underway.