A special investigation team from Chandrapur has landed in Kolkata, marking a crucial step in unravelling a sprawling interstate kidney trafficking racket that allegedly involves several prominent medical professionals. The four-member squad left for West Bengal on Thursday, accompanied by the key victim in the case.
Victim's Testimony Guides the Kolkata Probe
The SIT is being guided by Roshan Kule, a marginal farmer from Minthur village in Chandrapur's Nagbhid taluka. His personal account has become central to understanding the extensive illegal network. In Kolkata, the team aims to trace a critical suspect based there and examine establishments linked to the racket.
Officials will verify the medical tests conducted on Kule at a specific pathology lab in the city. They will also scrutinise the hotel where he stayed before being flown to Cambodia for an illegal transplant surgery. This on-ground verification is expected to provide concrete evidence against the accused.
Absconding Doctors and a Hospital Under Scanner
The investigation has now zeroed in on two primary absconding accused: a broker from Kolkata and Dr Rajaratnam Govindaswamy, the Managing Director of Star KIMS Hospital in Trichy, Tamil Nadu. Both are wanted for their alleged roles in the illegal procurement and transplantation of kidneys.
Further inquiries have firmly placed Star KIMS Hospital under the scanner. Police claim that another accused, Himanshu Bhardwaj who was arrested in Mohali, underwent an illegal transplant at this facility in July 2022. This makes the hospital a critical node in the entire investigation.
Efforts to secure Dr Govindaswamy's custody have been complicated, with officials hinting at alleged political pressure in Tamil Nadu. Sources report his family has close ties to a state minister.
Arrests and the Expanding List of Medical Practitioners
The net is widening to include more doctors. Delhi-based surgeon Dr Ravinder Pal Singh was arrested on December 29. His LinkedIn profile claimed he was recommended for a Padma Shri award in 2022. A Delhi court granted him interim bail during a transit remand hearing, and he has been ordered to appear before a Chandrapur court on January 2.
Dr Singh's name emerged from the call records of another arrested accused, Ramkrishna Sunchu alias 'Dr Krishna', who was nabbed in Solapur. Police sources indicate that at least two more doctors, one with political connections, are being examined for suspected involvement. Investigators believe four to five more medical practitioners may be linked to this sophisticated network.
The probe, which has expanded significantly over recent weeks, underscores the alarming reach of illegal organ trade involving trusted medical institutions and professionals across state lines.
