The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has officially registered a case in the widely reported Kanpur kidney racket and launched a formal investigation into alleged money laundering linked to the case. The action has been taken on the basis of an earlier police FIR under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), significantly expanding the scope of the probe into financial crimes connected to illegal organ trade.
Officials confirmed that the investigation now covers multiple accused, including the operators of Ahuja Hospital, Dr. Surjeet Singh Ahuja and his wife Dr. Preeti Ahuja. Dr. Preeti Ahuja is a former vice president of the Indian Medical Association (IMA). Preliminary findings suggest that the racket was not confined to a single hospital but operated as a wider organised syndicate involving hospitals, agents, and intermediaries engaged in illegal kidney trade and cash-based transactions.
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According to sources, the syndicate charged between ₹50 lakh and ₹70 lakh per kidney transplant, exploiting vulnerable patients and donors through illegal arrangements. Investigators suspect that dozens of such transplants may have been conducted over a sustained period, pointing to a deeply structured network operating across multiple locations.
The ED is currently tracing the flow of funds collected through these transactions. Officials are examining how money was transferred, routed, and layered across different accounts and entities. The agency is also scrutinising movable and immovable assets, bank accounts, investments, and possible benami properties linked to the accused to determine how illegal earnings may have been converted into legitimate-looking financial holdings.
A key incident under investigation relates to a kidney transplant performed on March 29 at Ahuja Hospital in Keshavpuram, Kanpur. In this case, a patient from Muzaffarnagar allegedly received a kidney donated by a resident of Begusarai, Bihar. The case came to light on March 30, triggering a wider investigation into the network. Authorities are also probing possible links involving foreign nationals, raising concerns about potential international dimensions of the racket.
Initial police investigations had already indicated that the network extended beyond a single hospital, with involvement of private healthcare facilities and agents facilitating donor-recipient arrangements. Medlife Hospital and Priya Hospital have also come under scrutiny for alleged irregular transplant activities and suspected involvement of intermediaries. The agents reportedly played a key role in connecting donors and recipients in exchange for large payments.
ED officials believe that the case may involve a larger financial crime ecosystem where illegal proceeds were routed through multiple channels to disguise their origin. The investigation is now focused on identifying the operational structure of the syndicate, including decision-making mechanisms and the hierarchy of individuals involved in managing transactions and facilitating illegal procedures.
Authorities are also examining whether proceeds from illegal transplants were integrated into legitimate financial systems through layering, cash withdrawals, and structured transfers. The probe aims to establish the complete money trail and identify ultimate beneficiaries of the suspected illegal earnings.
Officials indicated that the investigation is still in its early stages but could lead to major developments, including attachment of properties, freezing of bank accounts, and further enforcement actions in the coming days. As the probe progresses, more individuals and financial links are expected to emerge, potentially exposing a wider network involved in organised organ trafficking and money laundering.
