The Maharashtra government has constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to unravel a deeply disturbing kidney trafficking racket in Chandrapur district. This move comes after shocking allegations surfaced that impoverished farmers were being coerced by illegal moneylenders into selling their kidneys abroad to clear insurmountable debts.
From Debt Trap to Organ Harvesting: The Disturbing Case
The case came to light following the ordeal of Roshan Kule, a farmer from Minthur village in Nagbhid, Chandrapur. Kule had initially borrowed a sum of Rs 1 lakh from private lenders. However, due to exorbitant and usurious interest rates, the debt allegedly ballooned to several lakhs of rupees. Unable to repay, he was allegedly trafficked to Cambodia under false pretences.
In Cambodia, Kule was subjected to an illegal organ transplant procedure where one of his kidneys was removed. He was later sent to Laos on the pretext of employment. Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule stated that Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis took "serious cognisance" of this incident, which points to a larger organised network exploiting vulnerable farmers.
SIT Formed, Arrests Made as Probe Widens
The Chandrapur police have formed the SIT, which will be led by Additional Superintendent of Police Ishwar Katkade. The team includes senior officers from the local crime branch and cyber police. Their mandate is to investigate the entire chain, including the role of moneylenders, middlemen, medical agents, and the syndicate responsible for transporting victims overseas for illegal transplants.
Concurrent with the SIT formation, police have already taken action against the accused moneylenders. Five individuals—Kishor Bawankule, Laxman Urkude, Pradip Bawankule, Sanjay Ballarpur, and Satyavan Borkar—have been arrested and remanded in police custody until December 22. Investigators are pursuing leads that suggest a wider network is involved.
A Pattern of Exploitative Lending Emerges
As the probe into the kidney racket gained momentum, another severe case of alleged financial exploitation emerged from Brahmapuri in the same district. This highlights the expanding footprint of illegal money lending. A private firm employee filed a complaint stating that after borrowing Rs 8.5 lakh, he was forced to repay a staggering Rs 31.42 lakh. To meet these demands, he had to pledge gold, liquidate investments, and mortgage his house.
Police have registered a case against moneylender Laxman Urkude—who is also an accused in Roshan Kule's case—under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Maharashtra Money-Lending (Regulation) Act.
Political Reaction and Calls for Justice
While the government's action has been initiated, political voices have criticised the broader response. Farmer leader and Prahar Janshakti Party president Bachchu Kadu, who visited victim Roshan Kule, welcomed the SIT probe but lamented the lack of outrage. "Had such an incident occurred in the name of religion or caste, there would have been outrage. But because the victim is a farmer, everyone has remained silent. This is our real tragedy," Kadu said. He announced a protest march scheduled for January 3 to demand justice.
Revenue Minister Bawankule assured that stricter action will follow and no guilty person will be spared. The case has triggered statewide concern over predatory lending practices and their potential links to international organ trafficking syndicates, prompting a high-level investigation to uncover the full extent of the racket.
