An international organ trafficking operation has been exposed with the arrest of several kingpins of the racket.
According to sources, on 30th May, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) headed by the District Police Chief (Ernakulam rural) Dr. Vaibhav Saxena arrested one of the ringleaders, Bellamkonda Ram Prasad, in Hyderabad, who disguised himself as a doctor and engaged in illegal organ trading.
Prasad, a 41-year-old man hailing from Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh, stumbled upon this racket when he was looking to sell his organ but failed to do so due to his health conditions. However, in this search, he saw opportunities in the illegal organ trade.
He acted as a chief coordinator of this organ trade by identifying potential organ donors on social media and online donor webpages, striking deals, running laboratory tests to confirm organ match, and ensuring the individual was medically fit to donate before handing them over to the following link in the chain.
In this case, Sabith Nasar, who used to receive these donors in Iran for further procedures was the first person to be arrested. He provided crucial information about the operations which led the police to Ramprasad, who was hiding in Hyderabad.
The donors were mostly from Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and West Bengal and belonged to an Illiterate from a rural background.
Sajith Shyam oversaw the shell company formed by Sabith Nasar, Ramprasad, and Madhu, who operated in Iran, to manage the financials involved in the illegal trade.
Sajith Shyam was arrested three days after Sabith Naser’s encounter. Madhu, who is based in Iran, is yet to be arrested in this case.
The organ recipients were charged over 50 Lakhs for the operation, of which only 6 to 7 Lakhs were given to donors, and the rest profited by the intermediaries.
According to sources, Vaibhav Saxena, who was a doctor before serving the country as a civil servant, was instrumental in the questioning of Ramprasad, on the medical aspects of the organ trade.
With three out of four operators arrested, the Kerala police have launched a thorough investigation to look into this matter.
(Inputs from various sources)
Rehash/Dr. Yogeeta V H