Kochi: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Thursday conducted simultaneous raids at several leading private hospitals across Kerala as part of a money-laundering investigation into the organ trade fraud racket busted in Kochi last month. The searches began early in the morning after the ED's Kochi zonal unit began probing the proceeds of crime generated through illegal organ transplantation activities carried out by the main accused, Mohammed Najeeb Kallatra, a native of Kasaragod. The ED suspects that he received assistance from staff at various hospitals in carrying out the fraud.

Raids were carried out at major multi-speciality hospitals in Ernakulam, Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam and Kottayam districts. Sources said that ED officials are examining organ transplant records and other documents related to transplant procedures. The ED's action follows investigations by the Kerala Police into an organ trafficking network that allegedly facilitated illegal organ transplants by exploiting poor and financially distressed individuals.

According to the police, at least 20 suspicious organ transplant surgeries were conducted at various private hospitals in the state through the racket. The network allegedly recruited vulnerable donors by offering them money for their organs. While recipients reportedly paid between ₹20 lakh and ₹25 lakh for a transplant, donors received only ₹5 lakh to ₹10 lakh, with middlemen pocketing the remaining amount.

The syndicate is also accused of using forged documents to secure statutory approvals required for organ transplantation. Investigators found that fake doctor seals, fabricated medical certificates and forged hospital letterheads were allegedly used to obtain clearances. The network is also suspected of misusing blank letterheads bearing the names of MPs and MLAs to create false claims of kinship or altruistic relationships between donors and recipients.

While the Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the Kerala Police continues to probe the criminal conspiracy, forgery and possible human trafficking aspects of the case, the ED is focusing on the financial trail. The agency is examining whether proceeds from the illegal transplants were laundered and whether any hospital officials or medical personnel knowingly facilitated the transactions. ED officials are reportedly scrutinising donor registries, transplant records, internal approvals and financial documents. Sources said the agency may question hospital managements and doctors if evidence of financial collusion or negligence emerges during the investigation.

“A few officials from the ED Kochi office reached the hospital around 8 am and asked us to provide all the files and related documents of organ transplants conducted. We have given them access,” said sources at one of the hospitals in Kochi, where the search is happening.

Officials from some hospitals maintained that transplant procedures were conducted only after donors obtained approvals from the statutory authorisation committees. However, investigators suspect that agents operating outside the hospital system forged documents and manipulated the approval process to facilitate illegal transplants. Also, the ED is checking whether the hospitals have been involved in any financial transactions with any of the accused persons in the case.

The crackdown comes weeks after the arrest of the alleged kingpin of the racket, Najeeb. He was arrested by a team of the Kerala Police in Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh. Najeeb, who is facing nearly a dozen criminal cases, including a murder charge, is accused of coordinating the inter-district organ trafficking network. His wife, Rasheeda, and several alleged associates, including Sunny Varghese, Sini Varghese, Sanoj, Sreeja, and Sudheer, were also arrested for their alleged roles in forgery and in identifying and recruiting organ donors from Ernakulam and Kollam districts.