The woman can be heard saying she arranges birth certificates for Rs 70,000. (Representational)
An audio clip has gone viral on social media sites in which allegedly a former nurse can be heard saying that she has 30 years of experience in "selling newborn" babies.
The Tamil Nadu police are investigating the authenticity of the clip.
After the clip went viral, Tamil Nadu Health Secretary Beela Rajesh asked the director of the Health and Rural Welfare department to look into the claims of the woman.
In the audio, allegedly recorded by a "prospective client", the woman says she took voluntary retirement 10 years ago and has been "selling" newborns for 30 years and "by god's grace," never got into any trouble.
She also says that newborn girls are sold for Rs 2.75 lakh and "if the babies are fair and good looking, they are sold for Rs 3 lakh."
Newborn boys, on the other hand, are "sold for Rs 3 lakh" and if they are "beautiful", for Rs 3.75 lakh to Rs 4 lakh, she can be heard as saying in the clip.
The woman also says that she arranged birth certificates if an extra amount of Rs 70,000 is paid.
The Tamil Nadu police suspect that a large gang is involved in this crime.
They also suspect that the woman in the audio clip is a former nurse who worked at a government hospital in Rasipuram and was accused of being involved in "selling" of newborns in connivance with the hospital staff.