The Delhi Police Crime Branch has arrested Doctor Vijaya Kumari and busted an organ transplantation racket with links to Bangladesh. According to the authorities, Dr Vijaya Kumari, who is now suspended, was the gang’s only doctor and performed about 15-16 transplants between 2021 and 2023 at Noida’s Yatharth Hospital.
A network of middlemen, Vijaya Kumari, and their associates lured patients from Bangladesh for organ transplantation in prominent hospitals in the National Capital Region of India. Other than Vijaya Kumari, three Bangladeshi nationals were also arrested by the police last month.
INTERNATIONAL ORGAN TRANSPLANT RACKET BUSTED BY ISC, CRIME BRANCH
— Crime Branch Delhi Police (@CrimeBranchDP) July 9, 2024
07 members including Kingpin, native of Bangladesh, arrested.
Kudos to the team, Insprs Satender Mohan & Kamal Kumar, ACP Ramesh Lamba and DCP @amitgoelips@DelhiPolice@sanjaybhatia111 pic.twitter.com/8wFGmM4k9b
In this case, Russell, from the Kushtia district in Bangladesh, along with his accomplices Mohammed Sumon Miyan and Ifti, both from Bangladesh, and Tripura-based Ratish Pal, enticed prospective donors from their home countries to Delhi. These donors would donate their kidneys for Rs 4-5 lakh, with recipients paying Rs 25-30 lakh, according to an Indian Express report citing a source. So far, except for Ifti, all other accused have been apprehended. Russell (Rasel), rented a flat in Jasola village, where five to six donors were staying and their required tests were completed. Here, the recipients met the donors.
According to sources cited in the IE report, donors and recipients planned their stay, treatment, and tests via the medical tourism company Al Shifa. The victim’s statement has been recorded under Section 164 CrPC. During the questioning, Rasel identified two of his Bangladesh-based accomplices Mohammad Rokon and Miyan.
The police recovered a bag from Rasel’s room containing nine passports belonging to the donors, two diaries reportedly containing details of monetary transactions between the donors and recipients, and a register. Police are also believed to have confiscated another bag from arrested accused Mohammed Rokon, containing 20 stamps of various impressions and two blue and red stamp ink pads, which were allegedly used for making fake documents.
According to Amit Goel, DCP Crime Branch, “Seven people have been arrested in connection with an international organ transplant racket. The mastermind of this racket was a Bangladeshi. Both the donor and the recipient were from Bangladesh. We have arrested a person named Russell, who used to arrange patients and donors. The female doctor involved in the transplants has also been arrested. Further investigation is underway.”
“The Delhi Police’s Crime Branch department took custody of a doctor who had been engaged on a fee-for-service basis and was not on the hospital’s payroll. This action followed an investigation into procedures carried out at another hospital, and it is prima facie not related to any actions at Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals (IAH). Given this police action, IAH has placed the doctor under suspension,” said Indraprastha Hospital in a statement.
“IAH was previously approached by the Crime Branch seeking certain information as part of the investigation, which was duly provided,” the statement continued.
“IAH will provide its fullest cooperation to investigative authorities on this matter,” mentioned Indraprastha Apollo Hospital in the statement.
However, the female doctor was also working at another private hospital on a fee-for-service basis in Noida. The hospital has denied any direct association with her.
“Yatharth Hospitals has no direct association with the said doctor, as she is part of another hospital. For all our procedures, we ensure the highest ethical standards, prioritize patient safety, and comply with all clinical and government protocols,” said a spokesperson for Yatharth Hospital.
“We have cooperated fully with all investigations, and there have been no findings of wrongdoing against our hospital or our practices,” he added.
