A doctor from Hyderabad was revealed to be the mastermind of a global kidney racket operating out of Kerala. The racket came to light when one of the victims passed away and his family filed a complaint with the authorities, leading to the detention of Sabit Nasir at Kochi airport upon his arrival from Iran.
Nasir confessed to transporting around 40 youths from Hyderabad and Bengaluru to Iran, where their kidneys were sold for cash. He claimed that the head of the illicit network was one of three persons from Hyderabad, which included a well-known doctor.
“A kidney transplant is done in a hospital after deciding which kidney is suitable for which recipient. After surgery, the donors are then kept in an apartment for 20 days of recovery before they are sent back home. The gang allegedly promised up to ₹ 20 lakh for each kidney but at the end paid the donors only ₹6 lakh, deducting various expenses,” said Nasir.
Nasir was produced before the Angamali Judicial First-Class Magistrate on May 20.
The special investigation team (SIT), headed by Ernakulam Rural SP Vaibhav Saxena, immediately travelled to Hyderabad to further investigate, and apprehend the suspects. Police claim that the gang has been exploiting vulnerable youths from Telangana and Karnataka by attracting them with huge financial rewards in exchange for selling their kidneys. The victims received passports and permits to enter Iran from the racketeers, where it is legal for recipients of non-blood relatives to donate organs.
A senior consultant physician, Dr. Anil Kumar, spoke about the rise in these illicit activities. "This is a serious issue and calls for immediate attention. We need to raise awareness among the public about the dangers of falling prey to such schemes. Strict laws and severe punishments must be enforced to deter heinous characters," he said. The investigation is now focused on tracing and arresting the other brokers involved in the racket.
