A massive interstate and international kidney trafficking racket has been busted after a debt-ridden farmer from Maharashtra posted a viral video narrating how he was lured into selling his kidney abroad. The investigation, led by Chandrapur police, has exposed a sophisticated syndicate operating across India and Southeast Asia, with links to senior medical professionals.
The case surfaced last month when Roshan Kude, a farmer from Chandrapur, released a video stating that he had sold his kidney in Cambodia for ₹8 lakh to repay moneylenders. His video triggered a detailed police probe that uncovered an organised racket charging recipients up to ₹80 lakh per transplant.
Doctors arrested in interstate crackdown
Following the investigation, police arrested two doctors — Dr Rajarathnam Govindaswamy, associated with Star KIMS Hospital in Tamil Nadu, and Dr Ravinder Pal Singh from Delhi.
According to police, kidney recipients were charged between ₹50 lakh and ₹80 lakh, while impoverished donors were paid only ₹5 lakh to ₹8 lakh. Illegal transplants were allegedly conducted in private hospitals in India and in countries such as Cambodia.
How the racket operated
Chandrapur Superintendent of Police Sudarshan Mummaka said the racket relied on agents who targeted vulnerable people struggling with debt. Victims were approached through social media pages such as a so-called “Kidney Donor Community” and promised quick money.
Roshan Kude reportedly contacted such a page before being taken to Cambodia, where his kidney was removed. The investigation later led police to a fake doctor in Solapur named Krishna, who allegedly acted as an agent.
“Krishna himself was once a victim of the racket and later facilitated kidney removal for 10 to 12 people in Cambodia for commission,” Mummaka said.
Hospitals under scanner
Police said multiple illegal transplants were allegedly conducted at the Trichy hospital where Dr Rajarathnam worked. Investigators are now scrutinising bank accounts, mobile records and digital footprints to identify other hospitals that may have acted as “safe houses” for illegal surgeries.
The network is believed to involve agents, coordinators, donors and specialised doctors working across state and national borders.
Probe widens beyond India
Officials said the case has moved far beyond a local investigation. “This is an organised international organ trafficking syndicate,” Mummaka said, adding that coordination with central agencies may follow.
The arrests have raised serious concerns about regulatory oversight, ethics in private healthcare, and the exploitation of the poor. Police said further arrests are likely as the probe continues.