Pune Sex Determination Racket Busted
In a major crackdown on female foeticide, Pune rural police have arrested a school passout with only a Class XII certificate and a medical practitioner for conducting illegal sonography tests for sex determination under the Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (PCPNDT) Act. The arrests were made over the past 15 days, and authorities are now searching for two more doctors who are on the run.
Details of the Arrests
Superintendent of Police, Pune Rural, Sandeep Singh Gill, confirmed on Wednesday evening that the suspects operated a sex determination racket that prevented the birth of many girl children. Since 2024, the accused carried out several abortions in hospitals across Pune rural, Satara, and Ahilyanagar districts. The police have seized the sonography machine used in the illegal tests.
The owner of the machine, Annasaheb Giri, a Class XII passout, was arrested on May 20. He bought the machine in 2024 and admitted to conducting the illegal sex determination tests himself. Another arrest was made on May 24: Atul Ankush Jadhav, a medical practitioner from Lohegaon-Wagholi Road, who referred pregnant women to Giri. The police also identified Narendra Raosaheb Thakare of Wagholi as an agent who brought women to the racket. Thakare had already been arrested by the Pune city crime branch earlier this year.
Doctors on the Run
Two doctors from Bhor have been identified and booked in connection with the case. They are currently on the run, and police teams are actively searching for them. Gill stated that their roles in the racket have been established.
How the Racket Was Exposed
On May 14, a 40-year-old medical practitioner from Manjari stumbled upon a video related to sex determination and alerted the authorities. The video was verified on May 19, and a case was registered at the Yavat police station under various provisions of the PCPNDT Act. Following the arrests, the sonography machine was seized from Giri's house in Kedgaon, Daund, on May 30.
Witness statements from 15 people have been recorded, and one person has given a statement before the court.
Giri's Background
After completing Class XII, Giri enrolled in a pharmacy course but dropped out soon after. He began working as a medical representative and learned to operate a sonography machine from a doctor in Phaltan, Satara. He then started conducting sex determination tests and eventually procured his own machine in 2024, operating from his home.
Police revealed that Giri charged between Rs 30,000 and Rs 50,000 per test, depending on the financial status of the woman and her family. Documentary evidence and bank statements of the arrested individuals have been collected and incorporated into the case.
Racket's Reach
A technical analysis of Giri's mobile phone and call records showed that the racket extended across the district, including Uruli Kanchan, Indapur, Phaltan, Ahilyanagar, Lonikand, and Bhor taluka, as well as Pune city and Pimpri Chinchwad. Police suspect that around 15 doctors from Bibvewadi and Chinchwad may have been referring patients for illegal sex determination tests. These doctors are currently under scrutiny.
Authorities have also identified individuals who were in regular contact with Giri. His interrogation has provided several crucial leads, and further arrests are expected.
