M A I N   N E W S

Kidney Scam
Nepal jails may hold the key

Kathmandu, February 6
Two men in Nepal’s jails could hold the key to an old and well-networked kidney transplant racket spanning Nepal and major metros in India.

In sleepy Nakhu jail in Lalitpur district, adjoining Kathmandu, is Hari Narayan Lama, a man who could spill the beans about the doctors and medical institutions in Chennai, New Delhi and Chandigarh involved in the thriving scam.

Lama served out a three-year jail term after being convicted of duping people into “selling” their kidneys. But the punishment — after his admission that he had sold over 50 kidneys — was no deterrent. Lama was back in business after his release.

He was caught again in September after the police received information that two unsuspecting victims had been herded into a guesthouse in Kathmandu’s Bagbazar, a downmarket commercial area, with plans of being taken to India to “donate” their kidneys.

Lama is now awaiting the verdict in his case to be delivered by Lalitpur’s appellate court.

Reportedly having brokered over 75 deals with his wife, Lama’s modus operandi was luring Nepalis from villages with the bait of big money in exchange for a kidney.

He has named two hospitals in Chennai, one in New Delhi and another in Lucknow, which conducted the transplants.

Also awaiting the verdict in a different case and in a different jail is Dipak Poudel.

Poudel, now in Kathmandu’s central jail, was arrested late last year after victims complained.

Milan Tamang, a carpet weaver in Kathmandu, was offered Nepali Rs 1,00,000 for his kidney and went to Chennai for the operation. The recipient was reportedly a woman residing in New Delhi.

There have also been growing tales of brokers luring Nepali villagers to India with offers of jobs, but with the real intention of getting them to part with a kidney at ridiculously low rates.

Ironically, though the Nepal Police busted at least two major kidney rackets late last year, in which the accused named several Indian cities and hospitals, the Indian authorities ignored the tales. — IANS

Canadian cops launch massive hunt for Dr Amit

Toronto, February 6
Canadian security agencies have launched a massive hunt for Dr Amit Kumar, the alleged kingpin of the multi-crore kidney transplant racket busted in Gurgaon, against whom an Interpol Red Corner notice has been issued.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and Toronto-area police are focusing on a Brampton suburb in the search for the prime accused in the kidney racket. The hunt spread to a quiet neighbourhood in Brampton after it was discovered that he had bought an expensive house there last year.

A police spokesman said the RCMP are heading the Canadian investigation into Kumar's whereabouts, with detectives from Toronto and Peel region also involved in the search. He declined to reveal progress in the investigation.

RCMP spokesman sergeant Sylvie Tremblay said the force is cooperating with Indian authorities and several Canadian authorities in the search for Kumar.

"What I can tell you at this point is Interpol Ottawa has been in communication with Interpol India," Tremblay said.

The Canadian police is a crucial part of the global dragnet for the man dubbed by the media as "Dr Horror," but they are not revealing the progress in the investigation.

Interpol issued a Red Corner notice last week for Kumar's arrest on charges of "illegal transplanting of kidneys, cheating and criminal conspiracy," after he apparently escaped from India following the unearthing of the racket. — PTI