HYDERABAD: The Crime Investigation Department (CID) on Thursday arrested an anaesthesiologist in connection with an inter-state human organ trafficking racket operating under the guise of organ donation and transplantation. The arrested was identified as Dr Ruttala Venkata Rama Santosh Naidu (36), a resident of Visakhapatnam.
The case was initially reported at Alakananda Multi-Speciality hospital, Kothapet, Saroornagar, Ranga Reddy district, following a complaint lodged by the Deputy District Medical and Health Officer (DM&HO). A criminal case was registered at Saroornagar police station. The case was subsequently transferred to the CID on April 24 for further investigation.
So far, 19 individuals have been arrested in connection with the case. On Friday, a CID special team apprehended Dr Santosh Naidu. He was later produced before the LB Nagar Magistrate in Hyderabad and remanded to judicial custody.
Dr Santosh allegedly assisted co-accused doctors Rajasekhar and Avinash in carrying out illegal kidney transplant surgeries at Alakananda, Janani, and Aruna hospitals in Hyderabad. He reportedly administered anaesthesia to both donors and recipients during the illicit procedures.
It was informed that the prime accused, Pamulapati Pavan Kumar , used to hire Dr Santosh from Visakhapatnam for administering anesthesia in these surgeries.