Telangana Health Minister orders transfer of kidney racket case to CID

Telangana Health Minister C. Damodar Raja Narasimha on Friday (January 24, 2025) has directed health officials to transfer the kidney racket case to the Crime Investigation Department (CID) for a comprehensive investigation. The move comes in response to growing public concern over the illegal organ trade and the need for stringent action against those involved.

The decision was made during a review meeting held by the minister on Friday, where the preliminary report from the doctors’ committee was examined.

The report revealed that Alaknanda Hospital conducted kidney transplant surgeries without proper permissions, violating established rules. Officials informed the minister that the hospital exploited financially vulnerable individuals from Telangana, Tamil Nadu, and Karnataka. The racket involved procuring kidneys from two women in Tamil Nadu and transplanting them into patients from Karnataka.

Telangana health and police authorities uncovered the racket at Alaknanda Hospital in Saroornagar on Tuesday (January 21, 2025).

The minister assured that the government is treating the matter with utmost seriousness, highlighting the need for a full-scale inquiry to identify all individuals linked to the racket. He underscored the administration’s commitment to ensure strict punishment for the guilty as per the law, stating that such actions will serve as a deterrent to others contemplating similar crimes.

Following the revelations, the hospital has been sealed, and its owner has been arrested. The minister instructed Health Secretary Christina Z. Chongthu to issue immediate orders for the case to be transferred to the CID for a detailed probe.

“The government will not tolerate any form of illegal activity, especially one that exploits vulnerable individuals. We will ensure that those responsible face consequences severe enough to deter others from engaging in such practices,” the minister said.

The minister also directed authorities to share relevant information with the governments of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Andhra Pradesh to uncover potential links to other illegal organ transplantation cases. He recalled a similar case registered in Kerala and urged investigators to explore any connections between the two incidents.