Karnataka women officers bust illegal prenatal sex determination, abortion racket in Maharashtra

A team of officers from Bagalkot uncovered an illegal scanning, sex determination and abortion racket at Jadar Babaladi village in Maharashtra on Monday. | Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT A team of women officers from Karnataka busted an alleged illegal scanning, prenatal sex determination and abortion racket in neighbouring Maharashtra village.The special task force was headed by Shwetha Beedikar, Assistant Commissioner, Jamakhandi in Bagalkot district, and included Health Department’s Deputy Director Shobha T.R., District Health and Family Welfare Officer Suvarna Kulkarni, Manu and tahsildar Girish Swadi.In Bagalkot districtThey conducted a sting operation in Jadar Babaladi village in Maharashtra following complaints that a gang had conducted illegal scanning of pregnant women from Bagalkot district. An FIR has been registered against the accused.Deputy Commissioner Sangappa told reporters in Bagalkot on Tuesday that the team was acting on credible information regarding an illegal sex determination and abortion racket.It began with the interrogation of Kavita Badanaval, a woman suspected to be an agent in Mahalingapur town. She admitted that she had already taken three or four pregnant women for scanning and abortion in Maharashtra.Sting operationThe officers conducted a sting operation by posing as customers. Ms. Beedikar posed as a pregnant woman, Ms. Shobha as her sister-in-law, and Ms. Kulkarni as her mother.They contacted a man named Nikhil Teli in Jadar Babaladi who told them the scanning was conducted at a nearby farmhouse. Subsequently, his mother, Danakka Teli, demanded payment for the scan and revealed that the machine was kept at the home of Kavita Godekar in Karjagi village.The team visited the couple’s home, Kavita Godekar and Basavaraj Godekar, in Karjagi, where preparations were under way to perform a scan using a portable scanning machine. The officers seized machinery and equipment. Sanjay Waghmare Patil, the man suspected to be the mastermind of the network, fled the scene after getting wind of the operation.The police have launched a search to nab him.The task force members visited the Umadi Police Station in Maharashtra and handed over the portable scanning machine to the competent authorities. A criminal case was registered at the police station against the accused for violations of the Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques Act, 1994,conspiracy to practice medicine illegally, and abetment of the crime. Published - October 06, 2026 07:12 pm IST