‘Organ trade conducted under guise of medical tourism club’

Kochi: The Nedumbassery-based human organ trade was conducted under the guise of Stemma Club that claimed to offer medical and treatment tourism services, police said in a report submitted in the high court. The club was run by Madhu Jayakumar, the prime accused in the case.
It was also revealed that funds collected from organ recipients in Iran were transferred to the club’s account, which was used for the criminal conspiracy involving the illegal trade of human organs.
Police submitted this report in connection with a bail plea filed by Sajith Shyam, the third accused in the case. Nedumbassery Police inspector T C Murugan stated that Shyam also transferred money collected from clients into the club’s account. The fact that Shyam had signed as a witness on the rent agreement for the club suggests that he had prior knowledge of the criminal activities.
During the interrogation of Korukulath Nasar Sabith, who was detained at Cial airport, it was revealed that he acted as a liaison between organ donors and recipients. Sabith also arranged for donors from Hyderabad and Bengaluru similarly.
After undergoing surgery, the donors were monitored at the hospital in Iran for three days. They were then housed in residential flats in that country for 20 days before their return to India by flight. Each donor was promised Rs 6 lakh.
Shyam was also identified as a liaison between the donors and Madhu. He confessed that almost all the donors were cheated and did not receive the full amount promised, according to the police report.
Earlier, while considering Shyam’s plea, the bench of Justice C S Dias orally opined that the petition was premature as the investigation was ongoing. However, the bench scheduled the petition for July 10 to hear objections from the prosecution.
The case originated from the detention of a passenger at the Kochi airport on May 18, on suspicion that he was part of an international racket supplying human organs to patients for cash. Following a police probe, it was revealed that an Iran-based organ trade racket was active in the state. Kalamassery native Shyam was arrested on May 24 on allegations that he had received money from some individuals, and it was then transferred to Madhu.