Kidney racket probe widens; inquiry called off midway in Perambalur

Time of India

7 days ago

Trichy: Even as the state health department, under directions from the directorate of medical services (DMS), called off a scheduled inquiry at a private hospital in Perambalur on Monday in connection with the illegal kidney racket case, senior officials confirmed to TOI that key data related to the racket in Namakkal is being collected and analysed to trace links between private hospitals across the state allegedly facilitating such activities.
"We have a review meeting with officials handling the case. A fresh course of action, likely different from before, will be charted. Data from core points in the state in the investigation is being followed up and analysed," a senior official said.
Multiple sources in the health department confirmed that a state-level inquiry committee, led by the additional director of legal medicine, was scheduled to inspect the Perambalur hospital.
However, the inquiry was called off midway following a meeting convened by S Vineeth, project director of the Tamil Nadu System Reform Programme, in Namakkal, who is overseeing the matter. "The investigation is in full swing," the official said, falling short of confirming that a notice would be issued.
This development comes amid fresh statements from kidney donors in Pallipalayam surfacing on Monday, prompting further criticism from the opposition for the govt's slow handling of the case.
Following the circulation of a new video on social media, former BJP state president K Annamalai reiterated his demand for a special investigation team (SIT), accusing the ruling govt of shielding those involved. "The government hasn't nabbed the broker, M Anandhan, named by a medical officer in Namakkal," Annamalai said on X.
Earlier this week, private hospitals in Trichy and Erode also came under scrutiny. While the hospital in Trichy was issued a notice and asked for an explanation, a hospital in Erode was barred from performing surgeries until further notice.
Namakkal joint director of health services (JDHS) Rajmohan had told TOI that a report was sent to DMS authorities on Saturday based on a donor's formal statement identifying a Perambalur hospital as the site of the surgery. "We received information on six donors, but documents related to five appeared to be fake, and we couldn't trace them. We identified only one on Friday night and obtained a formal statement," Rajmohan said.
The case surfaced after videos of donors emerged on social media, alongside reports that workers from power loom units and dyeing mills in Pallipalayam and surrounding areas were being lured by brokers to sell their kidneys for 5–10 lakh.