New Delhi: As investigations continue into a Gurgaon couple’s allegation that their embryos were swapped during an IVF procedure, the fertility centre at the heart of the controversy has defended itself, maintaining that the couple had voluntarily opted for donor-gamete treatment and that all statutory consent requirements were fulfilled before the procedure, a claim that the couple has been contesting.The response comes weeks after the Union health ministry sought detailed clarifications from Delhi govt’s assisted reproductive technology (ART) & surrogacy department regarding the complaint, urging it to treat the matter with “utmost priority”.While central govt has sought verification of consent forms, donor records and statutory compliance, the Delhi ART authority, in its latest communication, has kept its proceedings in abeyance, citing pending judicial proceedings and the ongoing police investigation.The complaint, filed by Rahul Rathore and his wife, Meenu, against SCI IVF Hospital in Greater Kailash, alleges that the twin girls born to them in Jan 2026 through IVF are not biologically related to either parent and that donor embryos were never discussed or consented to.However, Dr Vishal Gaur of SCI IVF Hospital said the clinic had followed Assisted Reproductive Technology (Regulation) Act and the couple had agreed to donor-assisted treatment. “The required consent forms were duly signed before the procedure and all legal formalities were completed. The couple had opted for donor-gamete treatment, and the relevant records have already been submitted before the competent authorities,” he claimed.Donor-gamete treatment is an IVF procedure in which donor eggs/sperms, or both, are used to create an embryo instead of the couple’s own gametes. Under ART Act, it requires informed written consent and strict documentation.Dr Gaur declined to comment on the merits of the litigation. “The matter is under investigation and is also sub judice. We have placed our response and documents before the authorities and will await the outcome of the legal proceedings. It would not be appropriate to comment on the issues that are before court,” he added.The hospital also disputed the family’s version of events leading to the complaint. According to Dr Gaur, the couple had a history of secondary infertility, previous failed IVF attempts, surgeries and fertility treatment, including treatment in Thailand, and abortions before approaching the clinic. The couple refuted all claims.The hospital representative also claimed that Rathore’s behaviour changed immediately after the birth of the twins and that he was angry because his wife had given birth to twin daughters. “Two days later, he came to the centre and again misbehaved with our staff,” Dr Gaur alleged, adding that “these facts have already been placed before the investigating authorities”.The hospital maintains that the complaint is “false and fraudulent” and the DNA findings cited by the family are consistent with donor-gamete treatment.Rejecting the hospital’s version entirely, Rathore claimed, “We never consented to donor eggs or donor sperm. We are 100% fit and can even share my medical reports too. Throughout our treatment, we were repeatedly told that embryos created from my sperm and my wife’s eggs had been transferred. The donor story surfaced only after we approached police.”Responding to the hospital’s claim of repeated IVF failures, abortions and infertility, he called the assertions “incorrect and misleading”. “There is no history of abortions. We wanted a bigger family because that was always our personal choice. I come from a large joint family with 12 brothers and sisters. Many siblings have more than three children. My wife, too, always planned to have three or more children,” he said.“We chose IVF only because there was a long gap of 10 years between our first and second child. Our second daughter was also conceived naturally after a polyp surgery advised by our gynaecologist,” he claimed.On the hospital’s claim of fertility treatment in Thailand, Rahul said he would place his defence before the court.Rathore also denied the allegation that he objected to the birth of twin girls or abused hospital staff. “I am now a father of four daughters and I am proud of all my children… If the hospital says I threatened its staff, there should be a police complaint or CCTV footage,” he said.The dispute has also seen parallel legal proceedings. In June, the Saket court dismissed the hospital’s revision petition challenging an earlier order directing registration of an FIR.