The Hindu : Front Page : CBI makes headway in kidney racket probe

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Feb 13, 2008
ePaper | Mobile/PDA Version

Front Page

Front Page

CBI makes headway in kidney racket probe

Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI: The Central Bureau of Investigation conducted searches at the hostel room of Sister Linda at Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital here on Tuesday in connection with the multi-crore kidney racket unearthed in neighbouring Gurgaon.

It is learnt that the investigating agency seized some documents from the nurse’s room.

The nurse, a native of Manipur, was arrested last month on charges of assisting the alleged kingpin of the racket, Dr. Amit Kumar, in kidney transplants.

She joined Lohia Hospital as a nurse in November 2006 but is alleged to have continued her association with the kidney racket prime accused. After her arrest, the hospital had authorities suspended her and issued a show-cause notice to her.

“Any employee who remains in police custody for over 24 hours is automatically suspended. We are awaiting her reply to the notice, on the basis of which appropriate disciplinary action will be taken,” said a senior functionary of the hospital on Tuesday.

Meanwhile Dr. Saraj Kovid, the anaesthesiologist who had surrendered in a Gurgaon court on Monday, was sent to 14 days’ CBI remand by the court on Tuesday.

Dr. Saraj was brought to the CBI headquarters in New Delhi in the afternoon. He is suspected to be an old accomplice of Dr. Amit Kumar. His questioning began on Tuesday evening, with the CBI officials trying to ascertain how he came into contact with Dr. Amit Kumar and started working for him.

He will later be confronted with Dr. Amit Kumar and the other accused for corroboration of their individual disclosures.

Dr. Saraj will also be interrogated to identify the other doctors who were hired by Dr. Amit Kumar to conduct the kdney operations.

During a raid conducted at the Gurgaon operation theatre on Monday, CBI and forensic experts found that it was a highly sophisticated set-up equipped with all gadgets required for kidney transplants. Although Dr. Amit Kumar possesses a degree in Ayurveda, he claims to have conducted kidney transplants himself.

Despite repeated questioning, he has not divulged the whereabouts of his brother Jeevan, against whom Interpol had recently issued a red-corner notice.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Front Page