- A 17-year-old girl filed a complaint against a Kathmandu hospital for performing an illegal egg retrieval procedure that led to medical complications.
- Police arrested an alleged broker and found financial records linking a senior IVF specialist to illegal donor recruitment payments.
- The case highlights violations of Nepal’s age and consent regulations, raising concerns about the exploitation of minors in the fertility industry.
- Authorities are investigating the involvement of medical professionals and potential trafficking networks as the lead doctor remains outside the country.
Kathmandu, Nepal: A police investigation into an alleged illegal egg retrieval procedure involving a 17-year-old girl has raised serious questions over regulatory compliance, medical ethics, and the protection of vulnerable individuals in Nepal’s expanding fertility treatment sector.
The case came to light after the teenager filed a complaint alleging that she was persuaded to undergo an egg retrieval procedure after being assured that “nothing would happen” and that she could earn money from the process.
According to her statement to police, she was told that egg donation was a natural process and that the procedure would not harm her health. She agreed to undergo the treatment but later developed health complications, following which she was taken to Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital in Maharajgunj. It was during her recovery that she informed her family about the incident, prompting them to approach police.
Police investigating the case have recovered financial transaction records allegedly linking a senior IVF specialist with a woman accused of recruiting egg donors.
Investigators said they found screenshots from the mobile phone of 21-year-old Radhika Gotame, who is currently in police custody on allegations of acting as a broker in the case. According to police sources, the screenshots show two mobile banking transactions amounting to NPR 50,000 each, allegedly transferred by Dr Nutan Sharma, a senior obstetrician and gynaecologist associated with the IVF unit at B&B Hospital in Lalitpur, in December 2025.
Police are investigating whether the transactions were related to the alleged recruitment of egg donors or were part of another financial arrangement.
Preliminary police findings suggest that Gotame allegedly received NPR 50,000 in connection with the teenager’s case, while the girl has stated that she received NPR 30,000.
The teenager’s family, however, says financial compensation is not their primary concern. They have demanded accountability from all individuals involved and questioned how a minor was able to undergo an invasive fertility procedure despite existing regulations.
According to the complaint, the teenager was introduced to Gotame through a friend who allegedly described egg donation as safe and harmless. The friend reportedly claimed that she had undergone the procedure multiple times and encouraged the teenager to consider it as a way to earn money.
Police records show that the teenager was allegedly taken to B&B Hospital, where she received hormone injections to stimulate egg production before undergoing an egg retrieval procedure approximately one week later. She has alleged that Dr Sharma performed the procedure.
The teenager has also claimed that she was not adequately informed about the possible health risks, side effects, or long-term consequences of the treatment before giving consent.
Following the complaint, police expanded their investigation to examine hospital documents, financial records, electronic communications, and statements from individuals connected to the case. Investigators are trying to determine whether the incident represents an isolated case or whether a wider network may have been involved in recruiting financially vulnerable women and girls for egg retrieval procedures.
A family member of the teenager questioned the involvement of medical professionals in the case, saying, “If our daughter was a minor, how was this procedure allowed to happen?”
The family has also demanded an investigation into the role of both intermediaries and healthcare providers involved in the alleged procedure.
Police sources said Dr Sharma is believed to be in the Philippines. Authorities have stated that evidence collection is continuing and that legal action will be taken against anyone found involved in unlawful activities.
The case has renewed public debate over Nepal’s fertility industry and the effectiveness of existing safeguards. It comes after investigators uncovered another alleged egg trafficking network in Kathmandu last year, leading authorities to review and strengthen regulations governing fertility clinics and egg donation practices.
Under Nepal’s existing guidelines, egg donors must be between 20 and 35 years old, undergo medical screening and counselling, and provide informed written consent before undergoing any procedure.
If investigators confirm that the complainant was 17 years old at the time of the procedure, the case could raise significant questions over whether fertility clinics are properly following legal requirements and whether mechanisms to prevent minors from undergoing such procedures are functioning effectively.
Health experts say fertility procedures require strict adherence to informed consent standards because they involve medical, physical, and emotional risks. They have emphasised that vulnerable individuals, particularly minors and economically disadvantaged groups, require stronger protection from potential exploitation.
Police said the investigation is ongoing. The allegations against the individuals named in the complaint have not been proven in court, and any criminal responsibility will be determined through the judicial process.
