Vizag kidney transplant racket: Doctor among six arrested, search on to nab more accused

Visakhapatnam: As part of an investigation into illegal activities in the state, the Visakhapatnam Police have arrested six persons, including a doctor and a few middlemen and others, in a kidney racket case.

Cases under Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections 307, 326 and 420 have been registered against them. More accused are likely to be arrested.

Police said on Sunday that they have arrested the doctor of a private hospital and middlemen Kamaraju, Srinu, Shekhar, Elina and Kondamma.

Visakhapatnam Police Commissioner Trivikram Varma told in a news conference that the gang was targeting families facing financial problems.

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The police chief said kidney surgeries were performed at Tirumala Hospital in the city. Police investigations revealed that two kidney operations were recently performed on Vinay Kumar and Vasupalli Srinivasa Rao.

The racket came to light two days ago after Vinay Kumar, a resident of Vambay Colony in Visakhapatnam, approached police complaining that an agent lured him to sell one of his kidneys. The agent promised that this could fetch him Rs 8.5 lakh, but after removing his kidney at a private hospital, he was paid only Rs 2.5 lakh on December 16, 2022.

The incident started when Vinay Kumar visited an auto driver Srinu from the same area. There, Srinu and his wife Kondamma introduced Kamaraju and Elena to him. In the context of words, they promised Vinay Kumar money in exchange for his kidney of Rs.8.50 lakhs. Hoping for money, Vinay Kumar agreed to donate his kidney. He was taken to a lab for medical tests. When Vinay Kumar's family members learned about this, they did not agree to the kidney donation. After that, he went to his elder aunt's house in Hyderabad.

In this background, Kamaraju called and threatened Vinay Kumar that if he did not donate the kidney, he would have to pay Rs 60,000 for the medical tests, for which he would visit his home to collect the money. Following this, he agreed to donate a kidney. After Vinay Kumar came from Hyderabad to Visakhapatnam, the kidney was removed last December with the help of a Tirumala Hospital doctor and two other doctors in Pendurthi. At that time, the hospital's CCTV cameras were turned off, TH reports

Later, a video was recorded saying that Rs. 5 lakh was being paid instead of Rs. 8.5 lakh as per the agreement. Out of that cash, only Rs.2.5 lakh was given to Vinay.

The police focused on the involvement of doctors in the racket. Two doctors were found to have played a key role in kidney surgery. A special police team has been created to nab the two more doctors accused in this case.

Narla Venkateshwar Rao is alleged to have played an important role. He was arrested and jailed in the past for a kidney racket.

Taking serious note of the illegal kidney transplants, the Vizag district administration on Saturday sealed Tirumala Hospital.

The authorities have registered criminal cases against the hospital, which was operating without the requisite permissions.

Health Minister Vidadala Rajini has said that the government has stepped up the vigil in view of the rise in cases of illegal kidney transplants.

She said investigations have been ordered into the kidney racket, which was being operated by Tirumala Hospital located at Pendurthi.

The health minister has promised that no one involved in this racket will be spared. She said a state-level committee would be constituted to recommend measures to prevent such incidents.

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