Nine arrested in major illegal kidney transplant operation in Hyderabad
Hyderabad: Rachakonda Police, along with the Special Operations Team (SOT) and the District Medical and Health Officer (DMHO) of Ranga Reddy district, Telangana, uncovered an illegal kidney transplantation racket on January 21, 2025. The operation took place at Alakananda Hospital in Doctors Colony, Saroornagar.
During the raid, four individuals were found at the hospital, and they are Nasreen Banu Eliyash (22), a donor from Tamil Nadu; Firdosh S (40), a donor from Tamil Nadu; B.S. Raja Shekhar (68), a recipient; and Bhat Prabha alias Krupalatha (40), a recipient from Karnataka.
The investigation revealed that Alakananda Hospital had been performing unauthorized kidney transplant surgeries for the past several months, with the recipients already having undergone the procedures.
Dr. Guntupally Sumanth, the managing director of Alakananda Hospital, confirmed that Dr. Avinash and his team had been conducting these illegal surgeries. It was also found that the hospital was operating without the necessary approvals to perform kidney transplants.
As a result, the Health Department officials sealed the hospital, and the four individuals were moved to Gandhi Hospital in Hyderabad for better medical care. Following a complaint filed by Dr. M. Geetha, Deputy DMHO, a case was registered at Saroornagar Police Station.
Dr. Siddamshetty Avinash, General Surgeon, was arrested on January 25, 2025. Dr. Sumanth, the Managing Director of Alakananda Hospital, was arrested on January 23, 2025, and remanded to judicial custody. Along with the doctors, several medical assistants, mediators, and other individuals involved in the illegal operations were arrested. Among those arrested were Ponnuswamy Pradeep, a mediator; Ramavath Ravi, Sapavath Ravinder, Sapavath Harish, and Podila Sai, medical assistants. Suraj Mishra, another mediator, was also arrested.
The investigation revealed the scale of the operation, which had involved multiple hospitals across India. Dr. Avinash, who had previously worked at Janani Hospital in Saidabad, Hyderabad, began the illegal surgeries in 2023 after being approached by a person named Laxman. Laxman, who coordinated the operations, assured Dr. Avinash a payment of โน2.5 lakh per surgery. Due to administrative issues, the surgeries were carried out at Janani Hospital until it was closed in June 2024. Dr. Avinash then moved the operations to Alakananda Hospital.
The illegal kidney transplants involved a complex network of organizers, surgeons, mediators, and medical assistants. They would charge recipients โน55โ60 lakh for the procedure, with the funds being distributed among the various parties involved.
The recipients paid large sums, while the donors were given a fraction of the amount. The main surgeons were Dr. Raja Shekhar from Tamil Nadu and Dr. Sohib from Jammu & Kashmir, who performed the surgeries. The organizers, Pavan alias Leon and Purna alias Abhishik, brought in the surgeons and coordinated the transplants.
The police have seized a Tata Punch car, โน5,00,000 in cash, 10 mobile phones, and surgical materials from the accused. While several individuals have been arrested, others, including Dr. Raj Shekhar, Dr. Sohib, and several organizers, are still on the run.
The operation was conducted under the leadership of G. Sudheer Babu, IPS, Commissioner of Police, Rachakonda, with guidance from Ch. Praveen Kumar, IPS, DCP of LB Nagar Zone. The efforts of the investigative team were praised, and further rewards are expected for their work.
๐๐ฅ๐ฅ๐๐ ๐๐ฅ ๐๐ข๐๐ง๐๐ฒ ๐๐ซ๐๐ง๐ฌ๐ฉ๐ฅ๐๐ง๐ญ ๐๐๐๐ค๐๐ญ ๐๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ญ๐๐ ๐ข๐ง ๐๐๐๐ก๐๐ค๐จ๐ง๐๐; ๐๐ ๐๐ซ๐ซ๐๐ฌ๐ญ๐๐
Rachakonda Police, in collaboration with the DMHO, have busted an illegal kidney transplantation racket at Alakananda Hospital, Saroornagar. Nineโฆ pic.twitter.com/CTf4pQPjMr
โ Hyderabad Mail (@Hyderabad_Mail) January 25, 2025
