M A I N   N E W S

SIT: four cops involved in kidney racket
Our Correspondent

Amritsar, March 7
Additional Director-General of Police A.A. Siddiqui heading the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the kidney sale scam today disclosed that the SIT had recommended action against four police officers including two IPS officers for their “misconduct”.

Addressing a press conference here, Mr Siddiqui, however, refused to name the IPS officers said to be close to Dr Parveen Kumar Sareen prime accused during their posting in the Border Range.

The Punjab Police transferred Mr Rajan Gupta, the then IG (Border Range) last year after his name figured in the kidney scam. Mr Gupta’s personal security officer Gurdial Ram allegedly helped the racket. Mr Siddiqui said that Gurdial Ram who was earlier ‘interrogated’ by the SIT has been absconding. He said the SIT is likely to arrest Gurdial Ram shortly. To a question, Mr Siddiqui said that the SIT did not find the involvement of Mr Narinder Pal Singh, SSP, in the racket.

Mr Siddiqui gave a clean chit to the executive magistrates who had verified the ‘false affidavits’ submitted by the kidney donors to the Authorisation Committee. Clarifying it, he said the magistrates had verified the documents on the personal guarantee of the lawyers. He said the SIT was already taking action against the advocates involved in the scam.

The ADGP said the SIT had investigated 570 cases pertaining to kidney transplant done in year 2002 only. The two-month-long investigation had clearly established prima facie the nexus of the middlemen, the Authorisation Committee and the operating surgeons. He claimed that the members of the Authorisation Committee used to get between Rs 25,000 to Rs 30,000 per case through the prime accused, Dr Sareen.

The SIT has also recommended action against the present Director Research and Medical Education for giving permission to the Kakkar Hospital for the transplant of kidneys despite of the arrests of 14 persons in connection with the scam. Giving details the ADGP said that total 25 persons, including three doctors, 13 donors, nine middlemen had been arrested. He said the SIT sought permission from the government to prosecute the two members of the Authorisation Committee, including the former Principal of the Medical College Dr O.P. Mahajan and Dr Jagdish Gargi former Head of the Department of Forensic Sciences.

The passports of all accused, including those of absconding have been seized by the SIT to prevent their fleeing the country. He said the SIT had identified bodies of 11 donors cremated as ‘unidentified’. He said cremations took place at Durgiana and Marwari cremation grounds. The addresses of all these donors were found to be ‘fake’.

The SIT received a setback as it will have to convert the FIRs registered under Sections 302 to that under the 304 of IPC (culpable homicide, not amounting to under against all accused murder.

In another development, Mr Siddiqui said that the SIT would hand over the cases of those involved in the kidney scam to the Income Tax Department for investigation into amassing wealth. He, however, said that SIT won’t register cases against recipients of the kidneys.