From Egg Donor to Child Trafficker: The 34-Year-Old Woman at the Centre of a Racket Spanning Telangana and Gujarat
Vandana Panchal, a 34-year-old resident of Odhav in Ahmedabad, has emerged as a central figure in multiple child trafficking cases investigated by police in Gujarat and Telangana. Her alleged involvement spans from egg donation to a sophisticated racket selling infants across state lines.
The Latest Arrest and Interception
On January 28, 2026, officers in mufti intercepted a white Maruti Ertiga near the Kotarpur pumping station close to Ahmedabad airport. Inside were three men and a woman in her 30s holding a newborn baby. This stop led to the unraveling of an alleged child trafficking network involving at least 10 children sold between Gujarat and Telangana over two years.
The woman was identified as Vandana Panchal, who had allegedly "bought" a 15-day-old child from Himmatnagar in Sabarkantha district, Gujarat, for Rs 3,60,000. She was en route to sell the infant to a buyer named Nagraj in Hyderabad.
Panchal's Criminal History and Connections
Panchal is no stranger to law enforcement. Her criminal record includes:
- Arrest by Hyderabad police in 2024-2025 for allegedly trafficking three infants
- Suspected involvement in trafficking four other children by Ahmedabad Rural police
- Previous arrest by Telangana Police in March 2025 in another child trafficking case
- Questioning and release by Ahmedabad Rural Police in July 2025 in a Dholka kidnapping case
In the latest arrest, her accomplices included Roshan Agrawal (42) of Hyderabad, Sumit Yadav (27) of Ahmedabad, and driver Maulik Dave (32), who remains under investigation.
The Telangana Police Investigation
Panchal was booked in an FIR at Chaitanyapuri police station, Hyderabad, on February 25, 2025, under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita sections for human trafficking and Juvenile Justice Act violations. The Telangana Police investigation revealed:
- Rescue of 16 children from six states (Gujarat, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, Chhattisgarh, Telangana)
- Panchal among 45 accused, including 14 in the main syndicate and 31 illegal adoptive parents
- Her arrest on March 22, 2025, from Ahmedabad with 24-hour police remand
- Judicial custody in Chanchalguda Central Jail, Hyderabad, followed by bail despite initial denial
The Dholka Kidnapping Case
Shortly after obtaining bail, Panchal reappeared on police radar in July 2025 when Ahmedabad Rural police investigated the kidnapping of a seven-month-old from a homeless balloon seller in Dholka. The main accused, Manisha Solanki, allegedly named Panchal as her contact in child trafficking.
Solanki, who initially donated eggs for IVF payments of Rs 25,000-30,000, reportedly transitioned to child trafficking after recognizing higher profits. She confessed to selling four children—three in Hyderabad and one in Mumbai—earning Rs 3.5-4 lakh per child.
The Expanding Racket and Pricing Structure
Investigations uncovered a disturbing pattern:
- Children purchased from poor parents or single mothers for Rs 1-2 lakh
- Sold to childless couples for Rs 3.5 lakh (boys) and Rs 1.5 lakh (girls)
- Infants aged from four days to 2 years among the 10 cases under investigation
- Racket operations spanning 2024-2025 across Gujarat and Telangana
Joint Police Investigation Launched
Ahmedabad City Police and Ahmedabad Rural Police have initiated a joint investigation into the larger child trafficking network. Deputy Commissioner of Police Ajit Rajian confirmed "common links" between multiple cases:
- Munnu alias Yunus of Himmatnagar involved in 2023 and current cases
- Roshan Agarwal connecting 2025 rural case with current 2026 case
- Panchal's contact with Agarwal making her a suspect in multiple investigations
The accused have allegedly confessed to trafficking at least eight children, with possible overlaps in cases being investigated. The joint probe aims to rescue more children illegally sold across state lines and facilitate their legal adoption through proper channels.
This complex web of criminal activity highlights the challenges law enforcement faces in combating interstate child trafficking networks that exploit vulnerable families and prey on childless couples' desires for children.
