International Organ Trafficking Racket: 2 accused arrested, NIA to take over probe

Kochi: In an investigation into an international organ trafficking racket, the Ernakulam Rural Police Special Investigation Team (SIT) apprehended one more accused in connection with the case after the arrest of a Thrissur native.  

While the police have managed to capture only minor role players in the case, the main suspects remain at large. An investigation is ongoing to locate their whereabouts.

According to TOI sources, the recently arrested suspect is a Keralite and his role in the trade is under investigation. 

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This is following the arrest of Kerala native Sabith Naseer from Cochin International Airport following a tip-off from central agencies regarding his frequent travels to Iran from Kochi and other destinations.

Sabith Naseer was arrested on Sunday and is now under judicial custody. Following this, All Superintendents of Police have been directed to investigate whether any people from the state were sent to Iran.

According to his remand report, he has admitted to taking 20 people from various states of India to Iran to sell their kidneys. While Sabith Naseer has not named anyone from Tamil Nadu as being part of the racket, police are not taking any chances and have begun a probe.

The Vigilance Department has asked all SPs to trace any missing persons cases or people who have recently gone to countries like Iran. 

Central Intelligence agencies are also assisting the Tamil Nadu Intelligence and providing inputs on the movement of people from the four international airports in the state, including Chennai, Coimbatore, Tiruchi and Madurai.

According to the IANS report, the case is likely to be taken over by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) as this has international ramifications.

Iran had in 1988, legalised Living Non-Related Donation (LNRD) of kidneys and is considered the only country to do so.

This was reported in a 2008 study published by Rupert WL Major in the McGill Journal of Medicine. 

Compared to this, there are stringent laws in India for organ donation.

The Transplantation of Human Organs Act (THOA) 1994 was enacted to provide a system of removal, storage, and transplantation of human organs for therapeutic purposes and for the prevention of commercial dealings in human organs.

Transplantation of Human Organs (Amendment) Act 2011 was enacted and the Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues Rules 2014 were notified in 2014.

Sabith has admitted that he used to get Rs 5 lakh per kidney donor and each donor was paid anywhere between Rs 5 to Rs 10 lakh.

He has also admitted that there is an organised network behind this.

Based on the complaints filed by the relatives of the organ donors, the central agencies have traced the investigation to a doctor in Hyderabad, reported Onmanorama.

However, sources said that the kidneys fetched much more than has been admitted by Sabith Naseer and that this was only the tip of the iceberg.

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