New Delhi: Kidney Racket Busted, 6 culprits arrested from Apollo hospital

New Delhi: In a shocking expose’, authorities have arrested 6 persons, including two women while claiming to have busted a kidney trade racket operating in the national capital.

The accused were arrested from Apollo Indraprastha Hospital in Sarita Vihar, around 9 pm yesterday, a police officer said. The police were tipped off about the gang's presence in the hospital, the officer added.

The arrested inculde three middlemen, who are believed to have sold at least four kidneys so far in Delhi, and three potential donors, including two women, who were picked up from a village in north India, he said.  The mastermind of the said racket has been identified as one Anis. The gang would identify the needy recipients and then arrange for donors to sell kidneys to the recipients.

Meanwhile, sources at AIIMS have clarified that testing of the three “donors” has been done at AIIMS, and the investigations have revealed that their kidneys have been removed. Police are now on the hunt for the so called “ buyers” and investigating the potential involvement of medical practitioners in the racket.

A case has been registered at Sarita Vihar police station and the accused are being interrogated to find out the gang's reach. Police suspect the involvement of doctors in the said racket and have begun interrogation of the arrested to identify whether and which medical practitioners have been supporting this racket.

Apollo's Response

Medical Dialogues team contacted Apollo Hospital, Sarita Vihar regarding the matter. The Hospital released the following statement:-

The police approached us yesterday afternoon for their investigation in the matter pertaining to an alleged kidney sale racket. We are co-operating and providing to them all information required to help them in their investigation. This matter is of grave concern and our teams are extending all support to the Police.

The hospital, in order to ensure compliance with the law and diligence in process has an independent body with external members also for according consent for any transplant surgery. This Committee goes through all documents necessary to ensure that requirements under the Act are complied with. Further, the hospital has ensured that all due process as per the law has been followed.

The police in their investigation has identified secretarial staff of some doctors, who are not employees of the hospital, who have been involved in the alleged racket. While all due precautions were conducted, the use of fake and forged documents was used for this racket with a criminal intent. The hospital has been a victim of a well-orchestrated operation to cheat patients and the hospital. We urge the police to take the strictest of action against all those involved.

Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals has always abided by the law with utmost care and diligence and shall continue to do so.