According to the complaint, Ashok Kumar Singh and his wife Usha Singh, residents of Dantewada district’s Bacheli area, approached Mata Lakshmi Nursing Home in Anupam Nagar, Raipur, in 2022 for infertility treatment. The IVF procedure was conducted at the Pahlajani Test Tube Baby and Surrogacy Centre, run by the same management. After an initial failed attempt, a second IVF procedure in April 2023 confirmed a twin pregnancy.
The controversy centres on events of December 25, 2023, when Usha Singh was allegedly taken to the operation theatre without prior information to her family. The family claims that after delivery, Usha informed them that she had given birth to a boy and a girl. However, when the newborns were later shown to the family, they appeared different from what was initially described, raising suspicions of a baby swap.
The family alleged that one of the twins had been replaced without their consent or knowledge. Hospital authorities and the treating doctors, including Dr Neeraj Pahlajani and Dr Sameer Pahlajani, denied the allegations and termed them a misunderstanding. As doubts persisted, the complainant arranged a private DNA test, following which the matter was taken to the Chhattisgarh High Court and eventually the Supreme Court.
Taking note of the allegations and submissions, the Supreme Court termed the issue serious and directed the Raipur Superintendent of Police to register an FIR and conduct a comprehensive investigation. The court ordered that the probe should examine the role of Mata Lakshmi Nursing Home, the Pahlajani Test Tube Baby and Surrogacy Centre, their management, treating doctors, and the associated pathology laboratory, Metropolis.
Following the court’s directions, police have registered an FIR and initiated an investigation. Statements of the hospital management, doctors, and other staff are expected to be recorded. Officials said further action would depend on the findings of the probe, including medical records and forensic evidence.
The case has triggered concerns over transparency and accountability in assisted reproductive technology procedures, with authorities indicating that regulatory compliance and patient consent protocols will also be examined as part of the investigation.
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