Kidney Racket: Case to Be Handed Over to CID

Hyderabad: The kidney transplant racket unearthed in the city earlier this week will be transferred to the Central Investigation Department (CID) for investigation, following calls for strict action from medical professionals.

Health minister Damodar Rajanarsimha took the decision after reviewing the preliminary inquiry report into the kidney racket, highlighting the illegalities of the transplants conducted at Alakananda Hospital. It was mentioned that people from Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and Telangana were involved in this illegal activity.

The minister also directed that the governments of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, and Kerala be informed about the case. He noted that a similar incident occurred in Kerala a few years ago and called for an inquiry to determine any links between that case and the current one.

The minister recalled previous allegations about the involvement of private ambulance drivers in illegal organ transplants and instructed an investigation. He recommended monitoring of surgeries in private and corporate hospitals and suggested that, like in the case of pregnant women, details of all surgeries be properly registered.

Thorough checks need to be made when granting or renewing hospital licences.

Meanwhile, Rachakonda police commissioner G. Sudheer Babu said that as of Friday, the case remained with the Saroornagar police. According to sources, the Saroornagar police have formed six teams to investigate the case. One team is being sent to Karnataka, and another to an undisclosed foreign country.

The police are also examining financial transactions to trace deals between donors, brokers, and recipients. In addition, the teams are investigating whether any previous transactions involved surgeries, donors, or recipients from Telangana. The commissioner assured full support to the investigation agency that will take over the case.