ERODE: The probe by the local police to find the tout who encouraged weaver Ravi (44) of Kasipalayam to sell his kidney for Rs 5 lakh at a hospital at Ernakulam hit a roadblock as there is no police complaint for them to act upon. The sale did not take place due to timely intervention of the authorities.
However, the police are unable to proceed further in the case as his wife, who had filed a kidnap complaint, withdrew it. Curiously, his father certified that Ravi was not married and signed all necessary forms for the kidney ‘donation’.
On Ocotber 24, Ravi’s wife, Sampoornam, had complained to Erode Collector Dr S Prabhakar and Superintendent of Poilice Dr R Sivakumar that he had been kidnapped by a tout to sell his kidney. The same day, the Collector and SP contacted their counterparts in Ernakulam and arranged for Ravi’s safe return from there. The next day, Ravi told the officials that he was not kidnapped and had gone on his own to sell a kidney and settle his debt, without telling his wife about it. He had undergone the necessary medical tests for it over the last six months, he added.
But Ravi refused to tell them the tout’s name. Only if he reveals the name and gives a complaint, can the police take action. Valid proof from an affected person about the kidney racket is necessary to proceed further, the SP said.
The tout who took him to Ernakulam is reportedly one Chandrakumar from Avinashi, who has two assistants. The touts arranged Ravi’s return to Erode and then and there, they erased their cell phone numbers from Ravi’s phone, obviously to avoid their identities being revealed. The police thus have no clue to trace them.
When Ravi was at the Ernakulam hospital, he found three more from Tamil Nadu there. A 28-year-old vegetable trader from Kalingarayan Palayam, near Bhavani, and a 27-year-old construction worker from Pallipalayam had sold their kidneys at `3.5 lakh each. But he did not know if a powerloom worker of Veppadai, about 40 years old, who was also there, had sold his kidney.
When Ravi went to Chennai to appear before the medical board for organ donation, there were nearly 30 people there. Twenty-eight of them had submitted fake records that the recipients were relatives. In some cases, the VAOs and police inspectors had given such certificates. In some cases, ration cards were altered. In Ravi’s own case, a false certificate that he was not married was given.
Collector Dr Prabhakar said that the hospital involved was in another state. But if concrete details about the kidney racket are provided, he would contact his counterpart there to investigate the matter and take necessary action.
DRO S Kavitha said that following a petition from his wife, the Collector had helped Ravi to return home from Kerala. But after that, no one had lodged any complaint about the kidney racket. If details about a woman from Bhavani, who was allegedly involved, follow-up action would be taken. Two other such cases were in Pallipalayam and Veppadai, which are in Namakkal district and outside her jurisdiction, she added. Joint Director (Health) K Kanagachalakumar said that sale of organs was illegal. Also, organs can be donated only with the full consent of the donors and that too, after appearing before a medical board constituted by the Directorate of Medical Education in government medical colleges at Chennai, Coimabtore, etc.
Organs of brain dead persons can be taken only by following the required procedure. In the case Ravi, he had returned home without selling his kidney. If the Collector orders him to conduct an inquiry into the case, he would do it, said Kanagachalakumar.
Social problem
Meanwhile, CITU district secretary S Marimuthu, who helped Ravi’s wife, Sampoornam, to meet the collector, said that seven years ago, many poor powerloom workers from Komarapalayam and Pallipalayam areas were induced to sell their kidneys to settle their debts. Now, Ravi’s case showed that there were many touts in Erode, Salem, Namakkal and Tirupur encouraging sale of kidneys. They target poor workers, many of whom are under huge debt burdens.
These touts would take the workers to Chennai and Sri Lanka and get their kidneys sold. In Ravi’s case, they took him to Kerala, as rules for organ donation have been tightened in here, he said. Marimuthu suspects that though the touts and hospitals get `5 lakh each from organ recipients, the donor gets a smaller amount.