Kochi: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Saturday filed the chargesheet in the case relating to the transnational organ trade racket which operated in the guise of medical tourism.
The chargesheet has named four accused, including one absconding.
The accused, identified as Sabith Korukulath Nasar, Sajith Shyam and Bellamkonda Ram Prasad have been arrested while a fourth accused, Madhu Jayakumar, is on the run. All four have been charged under various sections of BNS (Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita).
The accused were involved in inducing gullible youth into donating their organs for money and trafficking them to foreign nations as part of a major racket. They would identify prospective organ donors in India to exploit them by inducing and offering them money through agents and through social media, as per NIA investigations.
The gang also approached Indian patients in need of organ transplant and charged around Rs 50 lakh from them to facilitate surgeries in Iran. The donors and recipients were made to believe that organ trade was legal in Iran. Investigations further revealed that the accused forged documents, including seals and signatures of various offices and officers of the government, to facilitate the organ trade, the chargesheet states.
NIA, which took over the case on July 3 from the Nedumbassery Police in Kochi is continuing with its investigation.