Delhi police uncover massive illegal kidney racket led by MBA graduate

The illegal kidney racketing operation was carried out across five states by an eight-member gang under the leadership of an MBA graduate

Delhi police busted a gang running an illegal kidney transplant racket after a six-year-long operation. At the end of their investigation, cops found that the mastermind behind the operation was an MBA graduate, reports The Indian Express.

The eight-member gang who conducted illegal transplants across five states - Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat - worked in different hospitals in various positions (AP Photo/Molly Riley, File) (AP)

The eight-member gang that conducted illegal transplants across five states - Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat - worked in different hospitals in various positions, which made identifying and connecting donors and recipients an easy process for them.

However, when the racket was busted in June this year, investigating officer was most surprised by the mastermind behind the criminal activities - a man without a criminal record, an MBA graduate who had been a respected kidney transplant coordinator at several hospitals.

The man behind it all, 39-year-old Sandeep Arya, had allegedly facilitated 34 illegal kidney transplants amounting to ₹10 crore, the police told The Indian Express.

One of his illegal transplant client's spouse, Seema lodged a complaint against him and one of his partners Vijay Kumar Kashyap, that guided the police towards arresting the entire gang.

Seema Bhasin accused Arya and Kashyap of allegedly duping her husband Hitesh of ₹35 lakh without providing a kidney transplant, causing his death on December 24, 2023.

Her complaint helped in “uncovering one of India’s largest ever illegal kidney transplant rackets” a police officer said.

Arya charged around ₹35-40 lakh per transplant and the group would save and distribute ₹7 lakh per operation among themselves.

Arya had last worked at Max Hospital in Gurgaon until April 2024 as a kidney transplant coordinator. A friend of his, who was not named, told The Indian Express, that he would often commit forgeries and financial fraud during his LLB days but saw his work connecting kidney donors and recipients as a “service to people”.

Arya could still be released on bail based on court precedent in a similar case, if the organ transplants conducted by him and his team are found to adhere to the National Organ & Tissue Transplant Organisation (NOTTO) guidelines, according to his lawyer Shubham Gawande.