TIRUCHY: A team led by Dr G C Gopinatha, Joint Director of Medical and Rural Health Services, Tiruchy, inspected a private hospital in Thillai Nagar on Friday as part of a preliminary inquiry into allegations of illegal kidney transplantations.
The inspection followed claims made by the Maharashtra Police, who had earlier visited Tiruchy to probe the alleged involvement of a doctor and hospital in suspected organ trade operations. A Maharashtra police team had arrived in the city on December 28 for investigation.
Earlier this week, Chandrapur Police in Maharashtra, named two doctors, including Tiruchy-based Dr Rajarathinam Govindaswamy, Managing Director of Star KIMS International Hospital and Research Institute, in a case related to suspected illegal kidney transplants. Sections 18 and 19 of the Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues Act, 1994, were invoked.
Health department said preliminary field-level verification did not reveal any fresh evidence. They added that neither the accused doctor nor hospital authorities were present at the premises during the inspection.
Dr Gopinatha said the inquiry was at an early stage. “As no one was available during the inspection, we have been asked to submit a report within a week based on the available records,” he said.