In a significant breakthrough, a special investigation team (SIT) in Chandrapur has apprehended a crucial figure believed to be a key conduit in a sprawling international organ trafficking network. The arrest sheds new light on an elaborate racket that exploited financially vulnerable Indians, transporting them overseas for illegal kidney removal.
Arrest of the Key Handler
The nine-member SIT, headed by Additional Superintendent of Police Ishwar Katakde, arrested the accused, Himanshu Bhardwaj, from Mohali in Punjab late on Tuesday. Following his detention, Bhardwaj was transported to Chandrapur under a tight security cordon. On Wednesday, he was presented before a local court, which granted the police a three-day custody remand for further interrogation.
Investigators state that Bhardwaj's primary role was to escort kidney donors from various Indian states to Cambodia. His arrest is directly linked to the case of Roshan Kule, a marginal farmer from Minthur village in Chandrapur's Nagbhid taluka. Kule had sold his kidney after falling into a debt trap, and his complaint became the catalyst for exposing the international syndicate.
The Transnational Trafficking Modus Operandi
According to SIT officials, Bhardwaj escorted Roshan Kule and at least six other individuals from states including Rajasthan, Haryana, Punjab, Bihar, and Uttar Pradesh. The group was flown out from Kolkata airport to Phnom Penh, Cambodia, where their kidneys were illegally harvested.
This development has reinforced police suspicion about the involvement of Preah Ket Mealea Hospital in Phnom Penh as a likely site for these unlawful surgeries. The racket operated with a clear division of labor: agents within India handled recruitment, travel, and documentation, while foreign-based handlers managed the surgical procedures abroad.
A critical piece of evidence recovered is a video clip from Roshan Kule's mobile phone. The footage purportedly shows Bhardwaj shepherding the group through the airport, which officials say firmly establishes him as a vital link in the trafficking chain.
Deepening Probe and Syndicate Structure
Bhardwaj's arrest comes close on the heels of another high-profile apprehension. On Sunday, the SIT had arrested Mallesh, alias 'Dr Krishna', an unemployed engineer from Solapur. Mallesh allegedly acted as an intermediary, using social media platforms to lure gullible individuals with promises of quick money in exchange for their kidneys. Police say he received approximately Rs 1 lakh for every donor he successfully recruited.
Intriguingly, investigators revealed that Bhardwaj himself was once a donor, having allegedly sold his own kidney, possibly through Mallesh. He subsequently began working for the syndicate as an escort and caretaker for donors during their overseas travel. Police are now verifying if his role expanded to include recruitment and trafficking arrangements similar to Mallesh.
"His primary role as a handler during transit has come to light. Further custodial interrogation will help determine whether he also operated as an agent like Dr Krishna," a senior officer involved in the probe stated.
With multiple arrests, digital evidence, and corroborated travel trails in hand, the investigation is now pivoting towards a more ambitious goal. The focus is shifting to mapping the command structure of the entire syndicate and identifying the international collaborators who orchestrated the illegal surgeries from abroad. Each arrest is providing a new piece of the puzzle in this complex, cross-border crime.
