Major Kidney Racket Exposed in Kanpur Amid Payment Dispute
Kidney Trafficking Uncovered
Kanpur: A dispute over a payment of just 50,000 rupees has led to the revelation of a shocking kidney trafficking operation in Kanpur. The Uttar Pradesh police have made significant strides in uncovering this multi-crore organ mafia. Initial investigations indicate that the racket involved purchasing kidneys from impoverished individuals and selling them to wealthy patients for as much as 6 million rupees.
Arrests and Ongoing Investigations
So far, authorities have apprehended six individuals, including five doctors. Additionally, lookout notices have been issued for four other doctors who remain at large. The investigation team is conducting raids in Delhi-NCR and other states, as the network appears to operate across state lines.
How the Racket Operated
- Buying and Selling Scheme: Donors received between 600,000 to 1 million rupees, while recipients were charged up to 6 million rupees.
- Role of Hospitals: Illegal kidney transplants were reportedly conducted at Ahuja Hospital, Priya Hospital, and Med Life Hospital in the Kalyanpur area of Kanpur without proper documentation.
- Arrested Individuals: Among those arrested are Dr. Surjeet Singh Ahuja and his wife Dr. Preeti Ahuja, along with Dr. Rajesh Kumar, Dr. Ram Prakash, Dr. Narendra Singh, and ambulance operator Shivam Agarwal.
- How It Came to Light: The operation was exposed when an MBA student, who was a donor, filed a complaint after receiving only 50,000 rupees.
Police Actions Taken
- A joint team led by Kanpur Police Commissioner Raghubir Lal and the health department conducted the raids.
- Medicines, cash, and documents were seized from the hospitals.
- Presence in Delhi-NCR: Authorities suspect that the absconding doctors may be hiding in Delhi-NCR, Meerut, Muzaffarnagar, and other cities, prompting multiple teams to search these areas.
- Financial Investigations: Investigations into bank accounts, properties, and foreign transactions have also commenced.
- Reports indicate that there may have been 40 to 50 illegal transplants, potentially involving foreign patients.
Next Steps
The police have filed a case under the Transplantation of Human Organs Act at the Rawatpur police station. Efforts to locate the absconding doctors—Rohit alias Rahul, Anurag alias Amit, Afzal, and Vaibhav—are ongoing. The health department has initiated the process to revoke the licenses of the three hospitals involved.
This incident highlights a deep-rooted corruption within the medical field. Authorities claim that as the investigation progresses, more prominent names may emerge.