Mumbai: Viral Video Uncovers India–Cambodia Kidney Trafficking Racket; 2 Doctors Arrested

A massive kidney trafficking racket operating across India and extending up to Cambodia has been exposed following a viral video posted by a debt-ridden farmer. The video revealed how the syndicate charged between ₹50 lakh and ₹80 lakh per kidney from patients, while poor donors were paid only ₹5–8 lakh.

The investigation, initially taken up by Chandrapur police in Maharashtra, gradually led to links in Delhi and Tamil Nadu. As the probe widened, two doctors—Dr Rajarathnam Govindaswamy of Star KIMS Hospital in Tiruchirappalli (Trichy) and Dr Ravinder Pal Singh—were arrested. They are accused of charging exorbitant amounts for kidney transplants while paying a fraction of the amount to donors.

The shocking inter-state and international organ trafficking case came to light after Roshan Kude, a farmer burdened with debt, released a video confessing that he had sold his kidney in Cambodia for ₹8 lakh to repay moneylenders. Subsequent investigations by Chandrapur police uncovered an organised syndicate involving agents and medical professionals, with the role of agent Ramakrishna Sunchu also coming to the fore.

Chandrapur Superintendent of Police Sudarshan Mummaka said the investigation has gone far beyond local boundaries. Analysis of mobile records and technical data has revealed a complex network of coordination between agents, donors and specialised medical professionals. Based on digital footprints, police are also identifying hospitals that were allegedly used as “safe houses” for illegal surgeries.

Investigators further found that Roshan Kude had come in contact with a social media-based “kidney donor community” page, following which he was taken to Cambodia for the procedure. During the probe into moneylenders, police also traced a fake doctor named ‘Krishna’ from Solapur, who was working as an agent. According to police, Krishna himself was once a victim of the racket and later became involved in facilitating kidney removals of 10 to 12 people in Cambodia in exchange for commission.

Agencies have also indicated that multiple illegal transplants were carried out at the Trichy hospital where Dr Rajarathnam Govindaswamy was employed. Police said further arrests are likely as investigations continue to identify other medical establishments linked to the network.