Police in Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, have uncovered an illegal kidney donation racket operating through multiple private hospitals. Five doctors and one broker have been arrested in connection with unauthorised organ removal and transplant procedures.
The case came to light after a kidney donor alleged that he was not paid the amount promised. According to the complaint, Ayush, an MBA graduate from a poor family originally from Bihar and currently living in Meerut for work, was approached by Shivam Agarwal with an offer of Rs 10 lakh to donate a kidney for a relative suffering kidney failure.
After Ayush agreed, his kidney was removed at a private hospital in the Kalyanpur area of Kanpur. Police said the organ was later sold to a Meerut resident, Parul Tomar, for Rs 60 lakh, while the donor received only Rs 3.5 lakh, prompting him to approach the police.
Based on the investigation, police sealed three private hospitals—Medlife, Ahuja and Priya—and arrested their owners and associated medical professionals: Dr Preeti Ahuja, Dr Surjeet Singh Ahuja, Ram Prakash, Rajesh Kumar and Narendra Singh. Broker Shivam Agarwal was also arrested, with police alleging he used the Telegram messaging app to lure and influence young men and women.
Authorities have registered cases under provisions of the organ transplant law. Police said preliminary findings indicate 50–60 illegal transplant surgeries over the past two years, and that the network had links in Lucknow, Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Nepal. The donor and the recipient were admitted to Lala Lajpat Rai Hospital after their health reportedly deteriorated.
