At least 20 transplants done through illegal racket: SP

Kochi: Ernakulam rural SP K S Sudarshan said that the documents seized as part of the probe into the forgery racket involved in illegal organ trade show that all the connected surgeries took place in Kerala. At least over 20 persons are suspected to have conducted organ transplant through this racket, the SP said. "Normally, organs are donated between close relatives or for altruistic purposes on humanitarian grounds. However, those involved in the racket are either forging certificates showing that the donor and receiver are near relatives. Otherwise, they are forging certificates given by police officers regarding altruistic purposes," said Sudarshan. The SP said that a probe will be conducted to identify whether the racket has any international links. He added that a probe will be conducted into the foreign trips of the prime accused, Mohammed Najeeb, 53, who was arrested by the rural police from Ghaziabad. The officer said that the exact amounts received by donors can be confirmed by recording their statements, however, their analysis was that the donors were being given Rs 5 lakh to Rs 10 lakh. The total amount paid by recipients would be Rs 20 lakh to Rs 25 lakh, he said. He said that the donors were mainly found through people who already became donors. They told others about the scheme. In many cases, those who donate are from areas facing deprivation and there would be people willing to take this risk. Sudarshan added that police will also investigate the possible human trafficking angle as part of the probe. In 2024, Ernakulam rural police invoked human trafficking charges on a racket involved in conducting illegal transplants in Iran. Sudarshan said that if all the cases involved are separate cases, connecting people willing to donate and recipients, then that angle wouldn't get involved in these cases. However, if it is an organised move to harvest kidneys, it may be included, he said.Based on the probe finding, a detailed report will be filed to the directorate of medical education (DME) regarding the type of scams that has happened and what kind precautions are to be taken.