Kidney racket case: 3 accused confess, seek early release

In a dramatic turn of events, three accused in the kidney racket case of Gurgaon confessed to their crime before CBI special judge, Haryana, Najar Singh, on Wednesday.

During the hearing, Manoj Kumar, Giyasuddin and Mohammed Shahid submitted that they admitted to the charges levelled on them. They requested the judge that they had been in jail for the last four and half years and they should be released early and their so far confinement in jail should be declared as punishment undergone by them.

Interestingly, 95 witnesses had deposed so far but none of them had mentioned about the role of Giyasuddin. His counsel Manbir Singh Rathi told HT that in the last four and half years no one from his family or friends had visited him.

Manoj was alleged to be a lab technician in the hospital where illegal kidney transplantations were done. Giyasuddin and Mohammad Shahid were alleged to have worked as middlemen in the racket.

The CBI special court, Haryana, is yet to decide on their applications. The next hearing is fixed for September 27.

The racket had surfaced on January 24, 2008, when the UP and Gurgaon police raided a house at Sector 22 in Gurgaon. Many people were lured for kidney donations and were allegedly paid between Rs 50,000 and Rs 70,000. The CBI said the kidneys were then allegedly sold between Rs 8 and 10 lakh each.

On March 13, the CBI court had framed charges against Dr Amit Raut, his brother Jeewan Kumar Raut and another accused Dr Upinder Kumar under Section 307 (attempt to murder), Transplantation of Human Organs Act (TOHO), Section 120-B (criminal conspiracy) and Section 506 (criminal intimidation) of the IPC.

Charges were also framed against Dr Saraj Kumar, lab technician Manoj Kumar, Dr KK Aggarwal, Giyassudin, Mohammad Shahid and nurse Linda under the TOHO Act and Section 120 B.