The five doctors with Hiranandani Hospital, Powai, who were arrested on Tuesday night in connection with the kidney transplant racket, were fully aware of the kidney transplants of suspicious nature being conducted at the hospital, but turned a blind eye to them, officials told The Hindu on Wednesday.
“All the arrested accused were fully aware of every aspect of the racket and yet took no steps to stop it. We will be searching their houses and examining their bank accounts to check if they got any money from the other accused,” said an officer, who is part of the investigation.
First indication
Investigating officials said the first indication that the five were aware of the racket came during the interrogation of Nilesh Kamble, the transplant coordinator at the hospital, who was arrested last month. The police said that while Kamble was being questioned as to the scope and extent of the racket within the hospital, he revealed the involvement of his senior colleagues in the hospital.
Joint Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) Deven Bharti confirmed that at least three kidney transplant surgeries conducted at the hospital in the past are now under the scanner.
Three cases
Sources said that in all three cases, the relationship of donor to recipientwas suspicious. Now, in addition to re-examining the documents submitted as proof of their relationship, DNA tests may be carried out to ascertain the relationship in cases where the recipient and the donor have claimed to be siblings.
A team of medical experts will now be set up to examine kidney transplants at L.H. Hiranandani Hospital. Sources in the health department said the involvement of Hiranandani Hospital’s doctors became evident when patients at the hospital were interviewed after the racket was busted in July. An official reported that patients had said that the money that they would have to pay a donor was discussed in the presence of nephrologist Dr. Mukesh Shete.
The five arrested doctors were produced before the Metropolitan Magistrate’s court in Andheri on Wednesday and were remanded in police custody till August 13.
