Mohali: A major illegal kidney transplant racket operating under the cover of a private hospital in Punjab’s Mohali has come to light, raising serious concerns over regulatory oversight in the healthcare sector. Preliminary investigations suggest that a kidney deal was fixed at around ₹25 lakh, with the network extending across multiple Indian states and even into Nepal. Donors were reportedly brought from Nepal and used for illegal transplants in Mohali.
₹25 Lakh Kidney Deal Allegedly Finalised Behind Hospital Walls
The racket is linked to Sukh Sewa Multispeciality Hospital, where kidney transplants were allegedly carried out without mandatory government approvals. During a police raid, a surgery was found in its final stage. However, the main accused, doctor Manpreet Kaur, managed to flee the premises after getting wind of the operation. Police teams are conducting raids at multiple locations to trace and arrest her.
Two individuals—Mahendra Kumar Mansukhbhai Patel from Gujarat and Rakesh Kumar Nanama from Rajasthan—have been arrested in connection with the case. Both were working as “attendants” at the hospital, but investigators suspect they played a larger role in facilitating the illegal operations. They have been remanded to police custody for two days and are being interrogated for further leads.
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Nepal Donors, Fake Papers and Interstate Links Under SIT Lens
According to investigators, the racket functioned in a highly organized manner. There was no direct contact between donors and recipients initially. Donors were identified and brought from Nepal, and only introduced to recipients at the hospital shortly before the procedure. In one such instance, the donor, identified as Ashish Thaman from Nepal, was brought to India just three days before the surgery and met the recipient, Varinder Pal, for the first time at the hospital.
Both the donor and recipient were shifted to a government medical facility (PGI) after the raid, where they are currently undergoing treatment. Their statements are yet to be recorded, but officials believe their testimonies could provide crucial insights into the functioning of the network.
Shut Once, Reopened Again: Hospital’s Troubling Past Comes Back to Haunt
Investigations have also revealed that the hospital had a questionable past. In 2023, an earlier facility operating under a different name had its registration cancelled and was subsequently shut down. Despite this, the accused allegedly reopened operations under the name Sukh Sewa Multispeciality Hospital and resumed illegal transplant activities.
Officials suspect that forged documents were used to bypass legal protocols. Kidney transplantation is a highly regulated medical procedure requiring strict compliance with government norms, including verification of donor-recipient relationships and approval from authorization committees. In this case, these safeguards were allegedly ignored, putting both donors and recipients at significant risk.
Doctor Escapes as Police Raid Catches Surgery in Final Stage
A Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been constituted to probe the case in detail. The team is examining all aspects of the racket, including financial transactions, donor sourcing, documentation fraud, and the involvement of other individuals. Authorities believe that the network may not be limited to Mohali and could have inter-state and international links.
The police are currently focusing on apprehending the main accused and uncovering the full extent of the network. Further revelations are expected in the coming days, which may expose deeper layers of illegal organ trade operations and highlight systemic gaps in monitoring such critical medical procedures.
