Foreign-made machines sold for up to ₹10 lakh; potential misuse in sex determination raises alarm
Jaipur – In a major crackdown on illegal medical equipment trafficking, the Rajasthan Health Department’s PCPNDT (Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques) team has busted a nationwide racket involved in the unlawful sale of foreign-made portable sonography machines. These machines, small and easy to conceal, pose a serious risk of being used for illegal sex determination and female foeticide.
The department arrested Amitabh Bhaduri, a gang member from Hooghly, West Bengal, who was caught red-handed while attempting to deliver an unregistered sonography machine in Jaipur. The arrest was made at Central Park after a health department employee, posing as a buyer, lured Bhaduri into a trap with a ₹15,000 online transfer to seal the deal.
“These portable devices are especially dangerous—they’re compact, battery-powered, and easy to transport, making them ideal for illegal activities such as prenatal sex determination,” said Devendra Chaudhary, Joint Director (Bikaner), Health Department, in a statement to The Times of India.
The PCPNDT team had been monitoring online platforms for the past two months, tracking suspicious sales of these imported machines. Their vigilance paid off when Bhaduri arrived in Jaipur via train, stayed briefly at the station, and then moved to the pre-decided drop-off point.
Upon interrogation, Bhaduri revealed he sourced the machine from Aditya Murarka of Life Plus Healthcare Pvt Ltd, based in Kolkata. Following this disclosure, Rajasthan health officials alerted local police and administration in West Bengal to widen the investigation.
Dr. Amit Yadav, Mission Director of the National Health Mission, stated, “These machines are being sold across the country for up to ₹10 lakh. We suspect a broader network is operating behind the scenes. Authorities in Kolkata have been notified, and a full-scale investigation is underway.”
Broader Implications and Ongoing Probe
The case has raised serious concerns about the enforcement of the PCPNDT Act, designed to prevent female foeticide by regulating the use of diagnostic techniques. Activists warn that the availability of such devices threatens to undo years of progress in curbing gender-based prenatal discrimination.
The health department has vowed to intensify its crackdown on such rackets and appealed to the public to report suspicious activity involving unauthorized diagnostic equipment.
