Kidney trafficking racket: Loan sharks trap 10 people in debt, force them to sell organ
Times of India | 26 March 2025
12 Kolkata: Two days after a moneylender, Bikas Ghosh alias Sheetal from Ashoknagar, was arrested along with his associate for allegedly forcing a young homemaker to sell her kidney at a private hospital in Kolkata after her husband failed to repay an exorbitant interest of over Rs 1.5 lakh on a Rs 60,000 loan, sleuths on Tuesday revealed that the accused are part of a kidney smuggling racket. At least 10 people from the Ashoknagar-Kalyangarh area were forced to sell their kidneys after falling into a loan trap.
While the initial probe confirms this figure, investigators suspect the actual number could be significantly higher.
"During the investigation, we came to know that victims were promised Rs 5 lakh to Rs 5.5 lakh for their kidneys, but in reality, buyers paid at least Rs 25 lakh per organ. A hefty commission was pocketed by arrested loan shark Ghosh, who was merely an agent. The mastermind behind this kidney trafficking racket is reportedly hiding in Uttar Pradesh, and police have launched a manhunt to track him down," a senior police officer of the Barasat district police said.
Recently, the name of Ghosh came to light following a complaint by a young man in Ashoknagar. "It was revealed that Ghosh had connections with a broker from Uttar Pradesh. We suspect that not only Ghosh from Ashoknagar but several others from adjacent areas operated under this broker. Their job was to trap people in debt and force them to sell their kidneys," an investigating officer said.
However, according to health department sources, merely expressing the desire to donate a kidney is not enough; legal permission is required. "Following this, a physical verification is conducted at the sub-divisional level by health and administrative officials. Only after this process is clearance granted from the highest authority. The primary condition is that no financial transaction can take place under any circumstances," a senior district health official said.
Despite government regulations and formalities, how does the kidney trafficking racket remain active? This question is now gaining traction. The police suspect that apart from the broker from Uttar Pradesh and the local loan sharks, there is also an intermediary team involved.
The police have already requested a report on the number of kidney donations recorded in the North 24 Parganas health district. Although they have asked for a two-year report, investigators believe the kidney trafficking network was active in the district since the post-Covid period.