Kanpur Police Uncover Major Illegal Kidney Transplant Racket, Arrest Six Including Doctor Couple
In a significant crackdown, police in Kanpur on Tuesday claimed to have uncovered an alleged illegal kidney transplant racket operating through private hospitals in the city. Authorities have arrested six people, including a doctor couple, three other doctors, and an ambulance operator, in connection with the illicit organ trade network.
Racket Extends Beyond Kanpur to Multiple Cities and Nepal
Commissioner of Police Raghubir Lal stated that the racket appears to have extensive links stretching beyond Kanpur to Lucknow, Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, and even Nepal. Preliminary investigations suggest that approximately 40 to 50 kidney transplants may have been conducted through this network across various private hospitals in Kanpur alone.
The arrests were made late Monday night following a complaint filed by an MBA student. The student alleged that his kidney was purchased for Rs 10 lakh and subsequently sold to a patient for a staggering Rs 60 lakh. He informed police that he was paid Rs 50,000 less than the promised amount, which sparked a dispute and ultimately brought the entire operation to light.
Police Raids Target Three Hospitals, Uncover Exploitation of Vulnerable Individuals
A joint team comprising officials from the Chief Medical Officer's office, the surveillance and crime unit of DCP West, and personnel from Kalyanpur and Rawatpur police stations conducted raids on three hospitals: Ahuja Hospital, Priya Hospital, and Med Life Hospital. These raids were initiated based on the complaint and intelligence inputs received by authorities.
According to Police Commissioner Raghubir Lal, the investigation revealed that poor and vulnerable individuals were allegedly being targeted. Their kidneys were removed by exploiting their financial distress and then sold for substantial sums of money. During the raids, police discovered both the donor and recipient admitted at Med Life Hospital. When officials requested documents related to the transplant procedure, the hospital allegedly failed to produce valid records.
Arrests Made and Evidence Seized in Ongoing Investigation
Those arrested have been identified as Dr Surjit Singh Ahuja, 54, his wife Dr Preeti Ahuja, 50, Dr Rajesh Kumar, 44, Dr Ram Prakash, 40, Dr Narendra Singh, 35, and ambulance operator Shivam Agrawal, 32. Police confirmed that all individuals were taken into custody from hospitals located in the Kalyanpur-Rawatpur area. A large quantity of medicines and approximately Rs 1.75 lakh in cash were recovered during the operation.
An FIR has been registered at Rawatpur police station under Sections 18, 19, and 20 of the Transplantation of Human Organs Act, 1994, along with Section 143/3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. Police indicated that four more doctors are suspected to be involved in the racket, and raids are continuing to trace and apprehend them.
Donor Details Reveal Exploitative Tactics and Financial Discrepancies
During questioning, the donor, identified as Ayush, provided detailed information to investigators. Ayush, originally from Samastipur in Bihar and currently residing in Meerut, alleged that Shivam Agrawal, also known as Shivam Kada, contacted him through a Telegram group. He was called to Kanpur, where the deal was finalized at an apartment in Awas Vikas-3, Kalyanpur.
Police further disclosed that a kidney transplant for a woman identified as Parul Tomar from Muzaffarnagar was performed at Ahuja Hospital on Sunday. Investigators alleged that Rs 60 lakh was taken from her family, while Ayush received only Rs 9.5 lakh. After learning that police had been informed, the hospital management allegedly shifted Ayush to Med Life Hospital and Parul Tomar to Priya Hospital. Ayush's condition later deteriorated, leading to his transfer to Hallet Hospital.
Authorities Issue Notices to Hospitals, Consider License Cancellation
Additional Chief Medical Officer Dr Ramit Rastogi announced that notices have been issued to the three hospitals involved. These notices seek replies to 10 specific questions, including how the transplant patients came to be admitted to these facilities. Dr Rastogi stated that action to cancel their licenses will be considered after their responses are thoroughly examined.
The case highlights the severe exploitation of vulnerable individuals in illegal organ trade operations, with authorities vowing to continue their investigation to dismantle the entire network and bring all perpetrators to justice.
