3-member panel to probe kidney racket

The state government on Tuesday, has constituted a three-member committee to probe the kidney transplant racket exposed in Sir Jamshedji Jeejeebhoy (JJ) and SL Raheja hospitals.

This step was taken a day after the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) arrested two Medical Social Workers in a kidney transplant racket. The committee has begun the probe on Tuesday itself, along with an administrative inquiry from the hospital managements. Both the social workers have been given police custody till October 4. They will be suspended now.

Dr Praveen Shingare, Directorate of Medical Education and Research (DMER) said, they have not received a letter from the ACB regarding this, but they have begun a probe. “We have constituted a three-member committee to investigate this matter thoroughly. The state government has taken serious cognisance of these events,” added Dr Shingare.

On Monday, ACB arrested two persons identified as Tushar Savarkar, the superintendent of Social Work Department in JJ hospital and Sachin Salve, an organ transplant coordinator in connection with the kidney transplant racket.

The ACB had arrested both the accused for allegedly accepting a bribe of Rs 80,000 for clearing a patient’s file for a kidney transplant, from where the regional organ authorisation committee operates. As per the government guidelines, organ transplants in the state, including those conducted at private hospitals, will be cleared by the transplant committee which is located in JJ hospital. Dr Mukund Tayade, dean of JJ hospital said, “The hospital does not have any connection with the Zonal Transplant Authorisation Committee (ZTAC) and they are going to suspend the duo as they will be in police custody for more than 48 hours.”

Dr Sanjay Surase, Medical Superintendent of JJ hospital said it was really shocking to hear staffer from ZTAC is involved in this racket.