Dialysis patient loses Rs 4L in organ scam

Thiruvananthapuram: A 42-year-old dialysis patient residing at Menamkulam was defrauded of Rs 4 lakh by two persons offering a kidney.

Kazhakkoottam police registered a case on Sunday against Ernakulam natives Rajeev and Lakshmi for cheating under Section 420 of IPC and also under Section 19 of the Transplantation of Human Organs Act-1994 for illicit organ trade.

The victim was in Kuwait for years, and during the Covid-19 outbreak, he returned to Kerala. During this time, he developed some kidney issues, and doctors advised him to undergo organ transplantation. He was also undergoing dialysis thrice a week.

The accused, who contacted the man, offered him a kidney for Rs 14 lakh and he paid Rs 4 lakh in advance. "The money was paid in March 2023, but the accused then stopped all contacts," said the victim.

Police have intensified the search for the accused and will also check their links with other organ trafficking rackets in the state.