Kanpur Police Intensify Crackdown on Illegal Kidney Transplant Racket
In a significant development, Kanpur police have escalated their investigation into a widespread illegal kidney transplant racket by issuing a lookout notice against four key doctors accused of involvement. The authorities are also probing the financial dealings of these medical professionals and conducting coordinated raids across Meerut, Noida, and Dehradun to apprehend the suspects.
Wanted Doctors and Hospital License Revocations
The four doctors named in the lookout notice are Dr Afzal, Dr Rohit, Dr Vaibhav, and Dr Anurag, all linked to nursing homes and hospitals in Meerut, Noida, and Delhi. Police teams, with assistance from Delhi-NCR police and other agencies, are actively searching for them in these regions. In a parallel action, the health department revoked the licenses of Ahuja Hospital and Priya Hospital on Thursday, giving them three days to remove all equipment. This follows the recent sealing of Med Life Hospital, indicating a broader crackdown on facilities implicated in the racket.
Patient Transfer and Arrests in the Case
Meanwhile, the main individuals affected include a 33-year-old kidney recipient and a 24-year-old donor, who have been transferred from Kanpur's GSVM Medical College to Lucknow's Dr Ram Manohar Lohia Institute for enhanced medical care. The principal of GSVM Medical College cited insufficient resources and the case's sensitivity as reasons for the referral. So far, a total of 10 people have been identified as involved in the racket, with five doctors and one broker already arrested. The crime branch has also detained two OT technicians from Dr Rohit's team, deepening the investigation.
Details on the Accused and Hospital Investigations
According to police reports, Dr Afzal operates Alfa Hospital in Meerut, while Dr Vaibhav and Dr Anurag, also known as Amit, are residents of Meerut. To trace Dr Rohit, authorities are scrutinizing the call details of broker Shivam Kada. Meerut CMO Dr Ashok Katariya revealed that a complaint was filed against Alfa Hospital on November 26, 2025, alleging patient admissions through brokers, leading to a police complaint and license suspension two days later. However, on January 2, 2026, the police investigation could not confirm the allegations, prompting the hospital to apply for license restoration on January 19, which was granted on January 21.
Scope of the Racket and Additional Arrests
Police Commissioner Raghubir Lal stated that the racket, uncovered on Tuesday, involves private hospitals in Kanpur and has led to the arrest of six individuals, including a doctor couple, three other doctors, and an ambulance operator. Preliminary investigations suggest that approximately 40 to 50 illegal kidney transplants may have been conducted through this network across various private hospitals in the city. The probe has now linked seven more hospitals to the racket—one in Lucknow and six in Kanpur—with police currently raiding and searching for two additional doctors involved.
Deception and Financial Exploitation Uncovered
In a disturbing revelation, police disclosed that Shivam Agrawal, from Devi Sahaynagar in Kalyanpur, would impersonate a doctor to deceive vulnerable individuals. He maintained contact with Dr Rohit, Dr Preeti Ahuja from Ahuja Hospital, and Dr Surjeet Ahuja. Agrawal targeted a financially struggling MBA student from Dehradun, convincing him to sell his kidney for Rs 6 lakh, highlighting the exploitation at the heart of this illegal operation.
