Officials Bust Alleged Foetal Sex Determination Racket in Maharashtra
Officials from Bagalkot district in Karnataka have successfully busted an alleged foetal sex determination racket operating in Jadar Babaladi, Maharashtra, following a coordinated undercover operation. The bust came after authorities received information that pregnant women from Karnataka were being transported to the location for illegal ultrasound scanning and abortions. During questioning of Kavita Badanaval, suspected of acting as a middleman, officials learned that 3-4 pregnant women had already been taken there for such procedures.
To gather evidence, a team of Bagalkot health and revenue officials conducted a decoy operation on Monday evening. Jamkhandi Sub-Divisional Magistrate Shwetha Beedikar posed as a pregnant woman, accompanied by Medical Act Deputy Director Shobha TR as her sister-in-law and District Health and Family Welfare Officer Dr Suvarna Kulkarni as her mother. The team reached Jadar Babaladi around 9:30 pm and made contact with Nikhil Teli, who allegedly arranged for scanning at a farmhouse operated by Kavita Godekar and her husband Basavaraj Godekar.
When officials arrived at the location, they found preparations underway to conduct scanning using a portable ultrasound machine. The team immediately seized the machine and related equipment. The suspected key operator, Sanjay Vagmore alias Patil, reportedly fled upon learning of the operation, prompting a search. The seized portable scanner was subsequently handed over to police at Ummadi police station in Maharashtra.
