The Delhi Police today busted a kidney racket gang operating in a leading private hospital in the national capital. The police have arrested five people, including two staff members of the Indraprastha Apollo Hospital. Three of those arrested are believed to be touts, who arranged donors.

TOP DELHI HOSPITAL UNDER SCANNER



The two arrested Apollo staff members - Aditya and Sukesh - worked with the hospital's senior nephrologist Dr Ashok Sarin.

The Delhi Police has constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the case. Investigations have revealed that the members of the gang were also active in Jalandhar, Punjab.



MODUS OPERANDI

The donor was shown as a relative or spouse of the recipient on the basis of forged documents. A board set by the hospital certifies that that donor and recipient are genuine or not.

The mastermind of the racket has been identified as Anish. The Apollo Hospital staff used to inform him about the needy patients and Anish arranged for donors. Donors were arranged for needy patients for Rs 25 to 30 lakh. However, the gang paid the donors just Rs 3 to 5 lakh.

The racket has been operating since February, police said.



HOSPITAL'S CLARIFICATION

A statement issued by Apollo Hospital said that it is cooperating with the police in the case and that it has been "a victim of a well-orchestrated operation to cheat patients and the hospital."

"We are co-operating and providing to the police all information required to help them in their investigation. This matter is of grave concern and our teams are extending all support to the police," the hospital said.

"The police in their investigation have identified secretarial staff of some doctors, who are not employees of the hospital, who have been involved in the alleged racket. While all due precautions were conducted, the use of fake and forged documents was used for this racket with a criminal intent. The hospital has been a victim of a well-orchestrated operation to cheat patients and the hospital. We urge the police to take the strictest of action against all those involved," it added.

A case has been registered in the Sarita Vihar police station and the people accused of running the kidney racket are being interrogated.