Aussies caught in Dr Horror kidney racket

A kidney transplant racket, involving an Indian "doctor"u00a0 known as "Dr Horror", who ran illegal clinics in India and sold kidneys to hundreds of wealthy clients from Australia, Greece, UK, Turkey,u00a0 US and Saudi Arabia, has come to light in Australia

The foreigners allegedly paid 45-year old Amit Kumar for organ transplants from poor labourers duped by the so-called doctor who, according to authorities in Delhi, invested some of the millions he allegedly made from his crimes in Australia.

It has also been revealed that a money laundering case against Kumar, who was arrested in Nepal in 2008, is being delayed by the Australian federal police, who have yet to respond to a 16-month request from Indian authorities.

According to a charge sheet prepared by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), Kumar received payment from foreign kidney recipients in foreign bank accounts which he used to buy properties.

While details of Kumar's international property holding are still unknown, houses worth crores across India have been identified.

According to police, Amit Kumar is not a surgeon or even an allopath, but claims he has a degree in ayurveda and that he learnt how to transplant kidneys by "associating" with surgeons.

Kumar and his eight Indian co-accused have been in jail for two years but final charges against them are still being drawn up. Those charged include Amit Kumar's brother Jevan Kumar, and medical doctors Upendra Dubesh, Krishna Kumar Aggarwal and Saraj Kumar Kovind. Police say 400-500 kidney transplants were performed by the group over a nine-year period.

According to lawyers involved in the case in India, the trial could last another four to five years or even longer because of the large number of witnesses.

Police allege that middlemen linked to Kumar attracted destitute labourers with promises of domestic jobs that came with board and lodging, but then offered them cash for their kidneys after they arrived at properties controlled by the doctor.

Many who refused the offer allege they were drugged and had their kidneys removed without their consent.

Some have claimed they were forced at gunpoint to undergo surgery to have their kidneys removed. Those who sold their kidneys to Dr Kumar were reportedly paid about Rs 50,000 to Rs 1.5 lakh. Although selling an organ has been illegal in India since 1994, a thriving black market industry has been in existence with many poor people offering their kidneys to pay off debts.

The charge-sheet against Kumar shows he charged Indian kidney recipients between Rs 8 lakh and
Rs 20 lakh for their transplants.

Wealthy foreigners are known to have exploited the situation by "jumping long queues" for a donated organ or the opportunity to get a transplant when one has been refused on medical grounds in their home country.

Although there are no laws in Australia banning people from travelling overseas to buy an organ, doctors advise patients against it because of the dangers involved.

Amit Kumar reportedly also acted in three B-grade Bollywood films in the 1990s and one of his companies is said to have produced, financed and distributed Indian films.