DC orders probe into kidney racket at Dera Bassi hospital

Gaurav Kanthwal

Mohali, April 3

Mohali Deputy Commissioner Aashika Jain has ordered an inquiry against the Dera Bassi-based private hospital under The Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues Act, 1994. Jain confirmed the development and said, “A detailed inquiry is being conducted.”

In the past three years, Indus International Hospital, Dera Bassi, performed 34 kidney transplants.

Verifying recipients & donors

Three persons, including a hospital employee, a purported tout and a donor have been arrested so far. The hospital management has joined the probe. All the recipients and donors registered with the hospital are being verified. —Senior police officer

The three-member SIT going through the records has found that the transplants were reportedly done by fudging medical reports and documents.

The hospital record shows that 11 transplants were done in 2021, 17 in 2022 and six till March this year, the police said.

“Three persons, including a hospital employee, a purported tout and a donor have been arrested so far. The hospital management has joined the probe. All the recipients and donors registered with the hospital are being verified,” said a senior police officer.

The matter has already been reported to the Director, Research and Medical Education (DRME).

The transplants were reportedly shown between family members and as per the government rules, were approved by the hospital’s internal board.

The police reportedly found fudging of blood samples to match DNA reports and a largescale forgery in documentation (Aadhaar and voter cards).

“The employees of Indus International Hospital, Dera Bassi, are being grilled. A case under Sections 419, 465, 467, 468, 471 and 120B, IPC, and Sections 19 and 20, Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues Act, 1994, has been registered,” said Dera Bassi ASP Darpan Ahluwalia, who is a member of the SIT.

“A donor was paid around Rs 5 lakh and the recipient was paying around Rs 16 to 25 lakh. The suspects have been sent to judicial custody,” said Ahluwalia added. According to the hospital website, Dr Sant Prakash Singh is the promoter and the chairman of Indus Healthcare.