Hiranandani kidney racket: CEO and four doctors arrested

The kidney racket at Hiranandani hospital goes all the way to the top, right up to the CEO. Last night, the Powai police arrested the CEO and four other doctors in connection with the case, taking the total number of arrested accused to 12.

The probe revealed that all five played a vital role in the scam and helped the racketeers to source and transplant kidneys illegally. Their role was revealed by those who had been arrested earlier, and cops verified all the information with the help of hospital records before taking the five doctors, including CEO, into custody around 8.30 pm. Jt CP (Law and Order) Deven Bharti confirmed the arrest and said the accused will be produced in court today. The names of those arrested are Dr Sujit Chatterjee (the CEO), Dr Anurag Naik (medical director), Dr Mukesh Shete, Dr Mukesh Shah and Dr Prakash Shetty.

"From the very first day, we knew that the doctors were involved in the case, as we had seen their blank letterheads being used. We had also submitted all documents to the police," said Suresh Gupta, Maharashtra president of the Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC), which helped bring the scam to light.

Earlier on, the hospital's transplant coordinator was also found to be involved in the racket, which was busted on July 14. It was Powai-based social worker, Mahesh Tanna who blew the lid off the racket when he called up the Mumbai Police helpline and tipped them off about a a suspicious transplant that was scheduled to occur at Hiranandani Hospital. The Powai police got there and foiled the illegal procedure. A 42-year-old male patient had tried to pass off a woman as his wife so she could donate her kidney to him - for a fee. The police took both the man and the woman into custody.