2 kidney transplants under the scanner; accused gets bail

MUMBAI: The Powai police are investigating two more kidney transplants that took place at the Dr LH Hiranandani hospital.

They suspect that the recipient and donor in these two cases may not be related, said an official, adding that the cases are being investigated.

“We are verifying the documents submitted in both the cases. It’s a lengthy process. We need to speak to the people who submitted the documents and also check its authenticity with the respective government departments. We are yet to ascertain if they are forged,” said a police source privy to the investigation.

The police said this may take several weeks. Brijkishore Jaiswal, the recipient in the kidney racket case, was granted pre-arrest bail on Saturday.

So far, seven people have been arrested in the case. These are kingpin Bhaijendra Bisen, 42, Kishen Jaiswal, 28, Iqbal Khan, 49, Bharat Sharma, 62, Nilesh Vitthal Kamble, 36, Khwaja Patel, 66, and Yusufsa Bismillasa Dhiwan, 45.

The arrested accused will be in police custody until July 26. Shobha Thakur, who was supposed to donate her kidney to Brijkishore, is yet to be arrested as she is in hospital.

According to a police source, Kamble is the link between kingpin Bisen and the private hospital. Kamble worked at the hospital and allegedly cleared documents for more than 130 kidney transplants at the hospital Tanna, who exposed the kidney racket, had told HT that one Sundar Singh helped him with copies of forged documents. Tanna said with the help of these forged documents and more information provided by Singh the racket was busted.

According to Tanna, Singh worked for Bisen, the racket’s mastermind, and incidentally executed the crime after being let off on bail in another kidney racket case of 2007 in Mumbai.

Singh had sold his kidney to Bisen, who promised to pay him a hefty amount but later went back on his word, said Tanna.

Singh told Tanna that Bisen exploited him and made him forge documents to execute the racket.

“Singh told me that Bisen has executed at least three more illegal organ transplants ” said