Identical modus, common supplier: Two sex determination rackets in Pune district point to wider network

5 min readPuneJun 4, 2026 09:02 PM IST

An FIR registered at Wagholi police station on March 5 is currently under investigation by Pune City police (File Photo)

THE PUNE Rural police’s probe into a sex determination racket has uncovered striking parallels and a direct link with another racket being investigated by Pune City police in Wagholi over the past two months, raising the possibility of a wider network operating across the district. Both investigations have revealed the use of portable sonography machines to conduct illegal sex determination tests at the homes of pregnant women, reliance on word-of-mouth referrals in rural and semi-urban areas, and links to dozens of doctors allegedly involved in illegal abortions leading to female foeticide. Investigators have also found that the two rackets sourced their portable sonography machines through a common supplier.

An FIR registered at Wagholi police station on March 5 is currently under investigation by Pune City police, while a similar case registered at Yavat police station on May 20 is being probed by Pune Rural police. The Wagholi case stemmed from a trap laid by the Crime Branch of Pune City police, which deployed a woman constable as a decoy patient. After verifying that illegal sex determination tests were being conducted, the police raided the spot and allegedly caught two suspects red-handed while performing the procedure on the decoy. The accused, identified as Akash Subhash Malgunde (32) and Narendra Sahebrao Thakre (52), were subsequently arrested. According to police, Malgunde used a portable ultrasound machine that was connected to a mobile phone via Bluetooth, allowing sonography images to be displayed and viewed in real time through an application on the phone. Police are investigating the role of several doctors who allegedly performed abortion after sex determination by Malgunde and Thakre. Thakre had provided the portable ultrasound machine and was also acting as an agent to bring patients.

Senior Inspector Nandkumar Gaikwad of Wagholi police station said, “We have till now arrested three persons who are currently in judicial custody. Some more suspects have been identified and a search is on for them. A chargesheet has been filed in the case and further probe is on.”

The probe by Pune Rural police began on May 14 after a government medical officer came across a video of a woman undergoing sonography for illegal sex determination. After the video was closely examined and prima facie illegality was confirmed, an offence was registered at Yavat police station under Pune Rural police under the Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (PCPNDT) Act. Police have till now arrested the main racketeer Annasahabe Giri (43), a Class 12 passout bogus doctor and Dr Atul Jadhav, a doctor from Wagholi in Pune who was allegedly performing abortions after the sex determination. Police have also booked two more doctors identified as Dr Sundaram Kadam and Dr Mandar Mali. Investigation has revealed that Thakre, who is an accused in the Wagholi case, was the one who provided the portable ultrasound machine to Giri. Thakre has been named as accused in the Yavat case too and Pune Rural police are soon expected to take his custody from the prison where he is in judicial custody. Sandeep Singh Gill, Superintendent of Police of Pune rural, said that 15 doctors are under their scanner.

A senior police officer said, “There are multiple commonalities and linkages between the two cases. First, both predominantly happened in the Shirur area but then gradually spread to other places including neighbouring districts. Both investigations have revealed the use of portable sonography machines linked to phones to conduct illegal sex determination tests at the homes of pregnant women, enabling operators to avoid detection by moving the equipment discreetly between locations and conducting procedures outside regulated medical facilities. Reliance on word-of-mouth referrals in rural and semi-urban areas, which helped the racket expand quietly through trusted local networks without leaving a formal trail.”

The officer added, “Both rackets are linked to dozens of doctors allegedly involved in illegal abortions leading to female foeticide, indicating a broader chain where diagnostic information was allegedly converted into follow-up termination procedures in violation of law. Investigators have also found that the two rackets sourced their portable sonography machines through a common supplier — Thakre — suggesting a shared procurement channel that may have facilitated the spread and continuity of such illegal operations across both networks. We have reasons to believe that these linkages are not coincidental and there is a wider network operating across the district.” Probe has also revealed that performed 30 to 50 such sex determinations a month and used to take around Rs 50,000 per case.

Sushant Kulkarni is a Special Correspondent with The Indian Express in Pune with 12+ years of experience covering issues related to Crime, Defence, Internal Security and Courts. He has been associated with the Indian Express since July 2010.

Sushant has extensively reported on law and order issues of Pune and surrounding area, Cyber crime, narcotics trade and terrorism. His coverage in the Defence beat includes operational aspects of the three services, the defence research and development and issues related to key defence establishments. He has covered several sensitive cases in the courts at Pune.

Sushant is an avid photographer, plays harmonica and loves cooking. ... Read More

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