From Maharashtra to Cambodia: Inside the kidney trafficking ring

Mumbai: Maharashtra Police have uncovered a sprawling pan-India kidney trafficking racket, allegedly involving agents, donors, medical professionals and hospitals, with international links to Cambodia. The network came to light during an investigation triggered by a debt-ridden farmer’s shocking complaint.

How the case surfaced

The probe began when Roshan Kule, a dairy farmer from Nagbhid in Chandrapur district, approached police alleging that he had been forced to sell his kidney abroad to repay usurious local loans. Kule, who initially borrowed around one lakh rupees from moneylenders, said that due to exorbitant interest rates, his debt had ballooned to over 70 lakh rupees.

Desperate and under pressure, he turned to what he believed was a legitimate kidney donor network he found on social media.

Investigators discovered that Kule had travelled to Cambodia, via Kolkata, where his kidney was removed. The complaint and subsequent technical verification of travel documents and statements prompted police to dig deeper into a larger syndicate operating across states.

Alleged racket structure

According to the police, patients seeking kidneys were charged between Rs 50-80 lakh for transplant procedures. “Donors, often economically vulnerable, received only 5-8 lakh rupees, with the rest was distributed among intermediaries, medical professionals, and hospitals,” noted a police official investigating the case.

On further investigation, the racket appeared to have been active across multiple states, with victims drawn from poor and indebted communities. Police officials leading the probe have emphasized that the case exposes systemic exploitation—where vulnerable individuals are lured with promises of quick money under the guise of organ donation, only to be left worse off while intermediaries and medical players profit.

One of the key accused, Ramakrishna Sanchu, also known as Dr Krishna, is not a qualified surgeon but allegedly acted as an agent, recruiting donors online and arranging their travel to Cambodia for organ removal. He claimed to have once been a donor himself, highlighting the cycle of exploitation within the network. His associate, Himanshu Bharadwaj, who also allegedly sold his own kidney previously, helped organize donors’ journeys and hospital admissions.

Investigation status

The investigation has revealed networks of moneylenders, social media recruiter pages, fake doctor identities, and cross-border logistics that appear to have facilitated this large organ trafficking syndicate. Police are now scrutinizing bank accounts, medical records, digital footprints, and travel routes to identify additional suspects and victims. “We are also seeking assistance from state and central agencies to map the full extent of the racket across India and possibly beyond. We are also recording statements of people who accompanied donors on their travels, hoping to identify additional layers of the operation,” stated a senior police official.

Doctors and hospitals now under scrutiny

The investigation has now moved from frontline agents to examine alleged involvement by medical professionals. Dr. Ravinder Pal Singh, based in New Delhi, has been arrested in connection with the racket. Dr Rajaratnam Govindswamy, the managing director of Star Kims Hospital in Trichy, Tamil Nadu, is reportedly absconding and being actively sought by investigators.

Both doctors’ names emerged from digital and financial evidence gathered by a Special Investigation Team (SIT) and the Local Crime Branch (LCB) dispatched to multiple states. Authorities believe that illegal transplants were not limited to Cambodia; several operations were also conducted inside India, possibly at facilities connected to the syndicate.

During transit remand hearings, a Delhi court granted interim bail to Dr. Singh, directing him to appear in Chandrapur court in early January. Meanwhile, efforts are underway to apprehend Dr. Govindswamy in Tamil Nadu.

The Maharashtra SIT is also exploring possible international links and money trails that could extend beyond Cambodia, especially given the cross-border movement of donors and recipients.