CHANDRAPUR: The investigation into an illegal kidney racket has revealed that multiple illegal transplant operations were conducted at STAR KIMS Hospital, Tiruchy. The investigation, triggered by a complaint lodged by a farmer from Maharashtra’s Chandrapur, has also brought to light a pan-India kidney transplant network involving agents, donors, doctors, and hospitals.
The SIT and Local Crime Branch (LCB) personnel were dispatched to detain two doctors in Delhi and Tiruchy after their names cropped up during the probe, he added. The investigation stemmed from a complaint lodged by Ro han Kude, a farmer from Chandrapur district, who had allegedly sold his kidney in Cambodia to repay a loan borrowed from local moneylenders.
Police have so far arrested six moneylenders, said Chandrapur Superintendent of Police Sudarshan Mummaka. One of the accused, Himanshu Bharadwaj, who acted as a donor, had admitted to surgical removal of his kidney by Dr Ravinder Pal Singh from New Delhi and Dr Rajratnam Govindaswamy, managing director of STAR KIMS Hospital, Tiruchy, said the superintendent of police.
“These facts have been corroborated by the statement of an accused, identified as Krishna, and technical evidence,” the police officer said. “The investigation revealed that multiple such illegal transplants were allegedly conducted at STAR KIMS Hospital, Tiruchy.
An amount ranging between Rs 50 and 80 lakh was charged for each kidney transplant,” he added. It emerged during the probe that Dr Ravinder Pal Singh used to receive approximately Rs 10 lakh while Dr Govindaswamy charged around Rs 20 lakh for treatment and hospital arrangements.
The accused Krishna alias Ramakrishna Sunchu collected nearly Rs 20 lakh. “However, the actual kidney donors were paid only Rs 5 to 8 lakh, highlighting severe exploitation,” said Mummaka. Following the inputs, the SIT and Local Crime Branch (LCB) personnel were dispatched to detain Dr Ravinder Pal Singh in Delhi and Dr Govindaswamy in Tiruchy. “During transit remand proceedings, Dr Ravinder Pal Singh was granted interim bail by a Delhi court, while police are making efforts to arrest Dr Govindaswamy,” said Mummaka.