Illegal Sex Determination Racket Busted in Pune; Two Arrested in Sting Operation
Pune, 4th March 2026: The Pune City Police Crime Branch (Unit 7) has successfully dismantled an illegal sex determination racket operating in the Ranjangaon area. Following a tip-off, a joint team of police and health department officials conducted a sting operation using a “decoy patient” to catch the perpetrators red-handed.
Acting on confidential information, the Crime Branch Unit 7, led by Senior Police Inspector Santosh Sonawane, collaborated with District Civil Surgeon Dr. Nagnath Yempalle and Medical Superintendent Sachin Dhas of Shirur Rural Hospital.
The team utilized a decoy female patient who was approached by an agent, Narendra Sahebrao Thakare (52). Thakare transported the decoy patient and her husband in a private vehicle to Life Care Clinic located at Pachange Vasti, Dhoksangavi, in Ranjangaon.
As the diagnostic procedure was underway, the police team raided the clinic. They caught Akash Subhash Malgunde (35) performing an illegal sonography using a small probe connected to a mobile phone via Wi-Fi.
During the raid, authorities seized:
Portable sonography equipment (mobile-connected probes).
Medicines used for illegal abortions.
A Maruti WagonR vehicle used for transporting patients.
The total value of seized material is estimated at ₹7,73,075.
Both Akash Malgunde and the agent Narendra Thakare have been detained. The process of registering an official FIR is currently underway at the Wagholi Police Station under the Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (PCPNDT) Act.
This successful operation was conducted under the guidance of Additional Commissioner (Crime) Pankaj Deshmukh, DCP (Crime) Nikhil Pingle and ACP Rajendra Mulik.
The ground operation was led by Unit 7 Senior Police Inspector Santosh Sonawane and Assistant Police Inspector Madan Kamble.
The team included police personnel Sarang Dale, Girish Nanekar, Rushikesh Takawane, Suhas Tambekar, Prashant Kapure, Nilesh Salve, Nirnay Lande, Vinayak Salve, Neha Tapkir, Pratiksha Pansare, Sonali Narwade, Kirti Mandale, Nitin Dhadge, Balasaheb Tanpure, and Bharat Gundwad.
