Amit Kumar’s chief Nepal associate arrested

Alleged kidney racket kingpin Amit Kumar’s chief associate in Nepal, Pankaj Jha, has been arrested at Bohoripur in Nepal’s Saptari district.

Police officers confirmed to the Hindustan Times on Thursday that Jha has been arrested. “He (Jha) along with Amit Kumar, wanted to start a hospital for kidney transplants,” said a police officer, adding that Jha has been Amit Kumar’s main agent who has been supplying kidney sellers from Nepal. Jha is from Sunsari district in southeastern Nepal.

Amit Kumar and his brother Jeevan were in touch with Jha to start a new kidney transplant hospital in Kathmandu. Jha is a partner in a private nursing home in north Kathmandu. The Kumars wanted to shift their base to Kathmandu, as they thought it would be easier to handle international clients in Nepal. Moreover, the network has been luring a lot of people from Nepal to sell their kidneys.

Police are also trying to establish the links between Amit Kumar’s kidney racket and Hokse, a remote and village in Kavre district. Nearly 100 people of the village have sold their kidneys during the last few years.

Nepal Police is also looking for a few other members of the kidney smuggling racket. Six of them —Ramesh Thapa, Bishnu Khatri, Giri Dai, Hira Pun, Babu Ram and Sher Bahadur — are absconding. “We are hopeful of arresting them soon,” the officer claimed.