New Delhi: At least seven people, including a 50-year-old Delhi-based doctor, have been arrested in connection with an alleged kidney transplant scam spread across Bangladesh and the Delhi-NCR region, police officials said on Tuesday. .
Acting on a tip-off, the Crime Branch of the Delhi Police had been working on the case for two months. Most of the donors and recipients are from Bangladesh and were brought to India with fake documents for the surgeries, officials said.
The doctor identified as D Vijaya Rajakumari, who now works as a 'fee-for-service' kidney transplant surgeon at Indraprastha Apollo Hospital in southeast Delhi, was allegedly involved in the transplant surgeries of around 15 Bangladeshi people between 2021 and 2021. 2023, they said. Dr Rajakumari allegedly performed the surgeries at the Noida-based Yathartha Hospital, where she was a visiting consultant.
The other arrested persons included a doctor's assistant, identified as Vikram Singh, and three Bangladeshi nationals identified as Rasel, Mihammad Sumon Miyan and Mohammad Rokon alias Rahul Sarkar alias Bijay Mondal.
The arrests took place over the last two weeks, police said. According to officials, incriminating materials, including 23 stamps, forged records of kidney transplant patients and donors, and forged Aadhaar cards, were recovered from the possession of the accused.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime) Amit Goel said that Rasel is the kingpin of this network, who came to India in 2019 and donated his kidney to a Bangladeshi patient.
After his surgery, Rasel started making noise. He would coordinate between different stakeholders and establish contact with potential Bangladeshi kidney donors and patients, the DCP said. One of his associates, Ifti, who is based in Bangladesh, used to get the donors, the official added.
Typically, he would get a commission of 20 to 25 per cent after the transplant, which usually costs the patient around Rs 25 to 30 lakh.
Rasel had rented a house in Jasola, near Apollo Hospital, from where he, Rokon, Sumon Miya and one Ratesh Pal of Tripura were arrested on June 16, Goel said. Three kidney applicants and three donors were identified at his instance. said the DCP.
Another officer said that during interrogation, the four accused confessed that they targeted kidney patients coming from Bangladesh while visiting dialysis centers in that country.
They sought out donors from Bangladesh, taking advantage of their poor financial situation and exploited them on the pretext of providing them with jobs in India, the official said. The accused would confiscate the passports of the donors after arriving in India. Later, Rasel, with the help of Sumon Miyan, Rokon and Ratesh Pal, prepared forged documents of patients and donors to show the relationship between them as it is mandatory that only the close relative can be a donor, police officials said.
Vikram, personal assistant of Dr Rajakumari, used to help in preparation of patients' records and was instrumental in preparing affidavit of patient and donor, they said, adding that Vikram used to charge Rs 20,000 per patient. .
Rasel also revealed the name of Mohammad Sharique, who used to take appointments of patients from Dr. Rajakumari and conduct pathological tests on donors and applicants charging Rs 50,000 to Rs 60,000 per patient. On June 23, Vikram and Sharique were arrested.
According to officials, Rasel, Vikram and Sharique revealed that Dr. Rajakumari had complete knowledge of each and every illegal act committed by the accused on the basis of forged documents. Accordingly, on July 1, Dr Rajakumari was also arrested in the case.
Investigations are being carried out to identify the number of transplants carried out in the fraud racket, officials said. Meanwhile, a Yathartha Hospital spokesperson stated that the Noida hospital does not have any direct association with Dr Rajakumari as She is part of another hospital.
"For all of our procedures, we ensure the highest ethical standards, prioritize patient safety, and comply with all clinical and government protocols. We have fully cooperated with all investigations and there have been no findings of wrongdoing against our hospital or our practices," he claimed. the spokesperson said in a statement.
The Indraprastha Apollo Hospital (IAH) also issued a press release saying that the Crime branch of the Delhi Police had taken custody of a doctor who had been hired on a fee-for-service basis and not on the hospital's payroll. "This action follows an investigation relating to procedures carried out at another hospital and is prima facie not related to any action or act at the IAH. Given this action by the police, the IAH had suspended the doctor," the statement said. . .
He further indicated that the Crime Branch previously approached IAH to request certain information as part of an investigation, which was duly provided.
"We reiterate our utmost commitment to comply with all laws, rules and regulations in relation to clinical and administrative processes for all patients, national or international. The Apollo Hospital Group in general has performed more than 25,000 transplants and has followed all the laws and processes to the letter and spirit. Our processes have been reviewed by competent government authorities who have confirmed our compliance record," he stated. The AIH will provide its fullest cooperation to the investigating authorities in this matter, adds the release.
Acting on a tip-off, the Crime Branch of the Delhi Police had been working on the case for two months. Most of the donors and recipients are from Bangladesh and were brought to India with fake documents for the surgeries, officials said.
The doctor identified as D Vijaya Rajakumari, who now works as a 'fee-for-service' kidney transplant surgeon at Indraprastha Apollo Hospital in southeast Delhi, was allegedly involved in the transplant surgeries of around 15 Bangladeshi people between 2021 and 2021. 2023, they said. Dr Rajakumari allegedly performed the surgeries at the Noida-based Yathartha Hospital, where she was a visiting consultant.
The other arrested persons included a doctor's assistant, identified as Vikram Singh, and three Bangladeshi nationals identified as Rasel, Mihammad Sumon Miyan and Mohammad Rokon alias Rahul Sarkar alias Bijay Mondal.
The arrests took place over the last two weeks, police said. According to officials, incriminating materials, including 23 stamps, forged records of kidney transplant patients and donors, and forged Aadhaar cards, were recovered from the possession of the accused.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime) Amit Goel said that Rasel is the kingpin of this network, who came to India in 2019 and donated his kidney to a Bangladeshi patient.
After his surgery, Rasel started making noise. He would coordinate between different stakeholders and establish contact with potential Bangladeshi kidney donors and patients, the DCP said. One of his associates, Ifti, who is based in Bangladesh, used to get the donors, the official added.
Typically, he would get a commission of 20 to 25 per cent after the transplant, which usually costs the patient around Rs 25 to 30 lakh.
Rasel had rented a house in Jasola, near Apollo Hospital, from where he, Rokon, Sumon Miya and one Ratesh Pal of Tripura were arrested on June 16, Goel said. Three kidney applicants and three donors were identified at his instance. said the DCP.
Another officer said that during interrogation, the four accused confessed that they targeted kidney patients coming from Bangladesh while visiting dialysis centers in that country.
They sought out donors from Bangladesh, taking advantage of their poor financial situation and exploited them on the pretext of providing them with jobs in India, the official said. The accused would confiscate the passports of the donors after arriving in India. Later, Rasel, with the help of Sumon Miyan, Rokon and Ratesh Pal, prepared forged documents of patients and donors to show the relationship between them as it is mandatory that only the close relative can be a donor, police officials said.
Vikram, personal assistant of Dr Rajakumari, used to help in preparation of patients' records and was instrumental in preparing affidavit of patient and donor, they said, adding that Vikram used to charge Rs 20,000 per patient. .
Rasel also revealed the name of Mohammad Sharique, who used to take appointments of patients from Dr. Rajakumari and conduct pathological tests on donors and applicants charging Rs 50,000 to Rs 60,000 per patient. On June 23, Vikram and Sharique were arrested.
According to officials, Rasel, Vikram and Sharique revealed that Dr. Rajakumari had complete knowledge of each and every illegal act committed by the accused on the basis of forged documents. Accordingly, on July 1, Dr Rajakumari was also arrested in the case.
Investigations are being carried out to identify the number of transplants carried out in the fraud racket, officials said. Meanwhile, a Yathartha Hospital spokesperson stated that the Noida hospital does not have any direct association with Dr Rajakumari as She is part of another hospital.
"For all of our procedures, we ensure the highest ethical standards, prioritize patient safety, and comply with all clinical and government protocols. We have fully cooperated with all investigations and there have been no findings of wrongdoing against our hospital or our practices," he claimed. the spokesperson said in a statement.
The Indraprastha Apollo Hospital (IAH) also issued a press release saying that the Crime branch of the Delhi Police had taken custody of a doctor who had been hired on a fee-for-service basis and not on the hospital's payroll. "This action follows an investigation relating to procedures carried out at another hospital and is prima facie not related to any action or act at the IAH. Given this action by the police, the IAH had suspended the doctor," the statement said. . .
He further indicated that the Crime Branch previously approached IAH to request certain information as part of an investigation, which was duly provided.
"We reiterate our utmost commitment to comply with all laws, rules and regulations in relation to clinical and administrative processes for all patients, national or international. The Apollo Hospital Group in general has performed more than 25,000 transplants and has followed all the laws and processes to the letter and spirit. Our processes have been reviewed by competent government authorities who have confirmed our compliance record," he stated. The AIH will provide its fullest cooperation to the investigating authorities in this matter, adds the release.
