Delhi govt sets up 5- member probe

Role of another senior nephrologist under police scanner

The Delhi government on Monday constituted a fivemember inquiry panel to investigate the kidney racket busted at Indraprastha Apollo Hospital and asked the committee to submit its report within 15 days. Delhi health minister Satyendar Jain said the high- powered committee will probe whether there were procedural lapses on the part of the hospital in the matter.

The probe panel, headed by Dr D. K. Tampe, dean of the Maulana Azad Medical College, has been asked to submit an interim report within one week. “Special panel will investigate whether laid- down approval protocols were followed by the hospital. It will also re- examine the documentation and interview process by the authorisation committee of the hospital concerned,” a senior government official said.

The city minister said that the committee will also give suggestions on updating a list of guiding principles and best practices

in the area of organ donation. “The committee is directed to submit an interim report regarding the five cases of organ sale detected so far within one week and a detailed report within a fortnight,” an order issued by the city’s health and family welfare department said.

With the arrest of five persons, including the personal secretaries of a nephrologist in the Apollo Hospital, the police unearthed a kidney- trading racket last week. The racket used to lure poor people from several states to sell their kidneys. The accused allegedly forged documents to establish relationships between the donors and the recipients in order to adhere to the law. In a statement, Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals said, “We are cooperating and providing to them 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.”

Meanwhile, the Delhi police on Monday said it came across the name of another senior nephrologist in connection with the kidney racket.

It is suspected that a few kidney transplants, which were facilitated by the racketeers, were done by the doctor. However, so far there is no evidence to prove his intent but the roles of his personal secretaries are under scanner, an official privy to the investigation said.