Dispute over Rs 50,000 exposes multi-crore kidney racket in Kanpur with an inter state network

A Rs 50,000 payment dispute has exposed a suspected multi-crore illegal kidney transplant racket in Kanpur, revealing a network involving middlemen, hospitals and vulnerable donors. The case came to light after a donor approached police over unpaid dues, triggering an investigation that led to multiple detentions, including a hospital operator and alleged brokers.

Investigators found that donors were lured with promises of large payments but were underpaid after surgery, while kidneys were allegedly sold to recipients for amounts as high as Rs 90 lakh. In one instance, a donor promised Rs 10 lakh received significantly less, exposing the scale of financial exploitation within the network.

The probe also uncovered a “three-hospital model” used to avoid detection, where organ extraction, donor recovery and recipient care were handled at separate facilities. This ensured no single hospital had complete information about the transplant process.

Authorities believe the racket targeted financially vulnerable individuals, including students, and may span multiple states. Raids have been conducted at several hospitals, with more people detained for questioning as investigators examine records and trace the wider network.