Mysore/Mysuru: The Bengaluru Police have arrested Dr. Chandan Ballal, the owner of Mathaa Hospital at Udayagiri in Mysuru who is accused of doing over 900 illegal abortions in connivance with Dr. Tulasiraman, a Chennai-based doctor and seven other individuals.

Initial reports said that Dr. Chandan is absconding. However, the Byappanahalli Police in Bengaluru have arrested him, taking the total number of arrested to nine.

Apart from Dr. Chandan Ballal, the others arrested are Dr. Tulasiraman, Manager of Mathaa Hospital and wife of Dr. Chandan Ballal C.M. Meena, hospital receptionist and a resident of Mandi Mohalla Rizma Khanum and lab technician Nissar, Shivalingegowda, alias Shivu from Mysuru, Nayan Kumar from Mandya, T.M. Veeresh from Davanagere and Naveen Kumar from Mandya.

During interrogation, the accused admitted to aborting approximately 900 foetuses over the span of two years. Dr. Chandan Ballal was arrested on Saturday and the Police said that more details will be obtained during questioning.

The Mathaa Hospital at Udayagiri and the Ayurvedic Piles Daycare Centre on Rajkumar Road in Mysuru have already been seized. It is suspected that this illicit operation may have extended to many more districts.

According to the Police, Dr. Tulasiraman’s mother was a renowned gynaecologist in Mysuru and he initially worked as a paediatrician at the same hospital. Eventually, he turned abortion services into a side business. Following his mother’s demise, he made that a primary business and collaborated with Dr. Chandan Ballal.

Later, Dr. Tulasiraman relocated to Chennai for personal reasons and sold his hospital to Dr. Chandan Ballal. Together, they operated this illicit enterprise. With a regular influx of patients at Udayagiri Mathaa Hospital, the illegal activities were shifted to the Ayurvedic Piles Daycare Centre on Rajkumar Road, the Police added.

Illegal ultrasound scan centre

The suspects took Police to a jaggery-making unit (alemane), at Hosahalli, Mandya, which was also functioning as an ultrasound scan centre. Upon raiding the unit, Police discovered a portable scan machine lacking required authorisation sticker and registration number. The suspects were unable to produce any documents related to the machine.

According to law enforcement authorities, these machines must be registered under a doctor’s name and all machines typically come with registered numbers. However, the Police observed that the sticker on this particular machine had been removed.

The Police suspect that the machine was obtained through an electronic goods repairer named Siddesh, who is currently absconding. Siddesh apparently repaired a discarded machine. As per regulations, the device can only be used with authorisation from the District Health Officer (DHO). The Police are investigating how the machine came into the possession of this criminal group.