Surrogate mother accuses man of rape, cheating

AHMEDABAD: A thirty-year-old woman, a resident of Amraiwadi, lodged a complaint against Karansinh Chavda, a resident of Chankyapuri for raping her, cheating her of Rs 3 lakh — her fee for being a surrogate mother — and threatening to spread compromising videos of her on social media.

Police sources said the victim, who has two children, also accused Chavda of blackmail. She said he gave her the ‘choice’ of paying him Rs 10 lakh or having sex with his brother, Vijaysinh.

“The woman said Chavda had helped her market her services as a commercial egg donor 67 times for a commission,” said a senior police official of Amraiwadi police station.

Police sources said they have registered an offence under sections 376, 408, 420 and 506(7) against the accused and are hunting for him.

According to the complaint, the woman said her ordeal began when she was forced to look for work when her husband became bed-ridden for about two years due to a road accident. “She initially participated in clinical trials with a private company on SG Road. During one clinical trial, a woman named Heena who worked at the company, introduced her to Chavda,” said a police source. The woman alleged that Chavda offered her help and took her to various offices to get her a job. “Chavda then began visiting her house in Amraiwadi. The woman said that during these visits, Chavda would rape her. Later, the woman alleged, Chavda forced her to become a commercial egg donor. Chavda told her he was unmarried and promised to marry her when the time was right,” said a senior police official.

The FIR states that Chavda took her to a private hospital and made her provide her services as a surrogate mother in return for Rs 4 lakh. However, Chavda gave her Rs 1 lakh and kept Rs 3 lakh. Police officials said when the woman insisted that Chavda marry her, he called her to Gandhinagar bus stand and threatened her to keep her mouth shut by showing her intimate videos of her that he had shot. “Chavda also tried to blackmail her using the videos. He told her to pay him Rs 10 lakh or to hand over her minor daughter for one night. Unable to bear the torture, the woman attempted suicide on June 10, by consuming phenyl. She was rushed to LG Hospital and on regaining consciousness, she lodged a complaint with us,” said a police official.