Kanpur kidney racket busted: five doctors, broker arrested, four more sought

Uttar Pradesh Police have busted a major illegal kidney transplant racket in Kanpur, arresting five doctors and the alleged broker mastermind , while identifying four others at large. Officials say the network may extend well beyond the initial cases, involving multiple hospitals and intermediaries.

The racket was exposed after a donor, Ayush, complained he received only Rs 3.5 lakh of the agreed Rs 10 lakh for his kidney, triggering raids at Med-Life Hospital, Ahuja Hospital, and Priya Hospital . Arrested were Dr Preeti Ahuja (50) , her husband Dr Surjeet Singh Ahuja (54) , Rajesh Kumar (44), Ram Prakash (40), Narendra Singh , and Shivam Agarwal (32) , who allegedly impersonated a doctor to lure donors.

Police identified additional suspects, Dr Afzal, Dr Rohit alias Rahul, Anurag alias Amit, and Vaibhav , currently absconding. The network targeted financially distressed donors through Telegram groups , exploiting patients and families, and reportedly sold kidneys for Rs 60–90 lakh , far above donor payouts.

Investigators found 40-50 illegal transplants , with operations often conducted at night, CCTV disabled , and patients shifted across hospitals to avoid detection. Authorities suspect links to Lucknow, Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Nepal , and some foreign nationals , including a South African woman who underwent a transplant in early March.

Cases are registered under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues Act . Notices have been issued to hospitals, with possible licence suspension. Police continue combing records, CCTV, and medical equipment while tracing the full web of brokers, doctors, and institutions behind one of the most disturbing organ-trafficking cases in recent years.