RAWALPINDI: The physical remand of an accused involved in illegal organ transplant case was extended for another three days on Saturday and will be produced before court on Tuesday.

Police raids are underway to arrest other suspects, including a doctor and nursing staff of a government hospital, allegedly involved in the illegal trade.

On the other hand, police have added relevant sections of the law in the first information report (FIR) registered with Rawat police.

In addition to this, the police have also added charges of kidnapping, abducting a person and keeping him in confinement and abatement in a crime.

The medical examination of a brick kiln worker who had his left kidney removed by a five-member gang in a private clinic was performed in the District Headquarters (DHQ) Hospital on Monday that confirmed the removal of his left kidney.

Police said soon after the four members of the gang found out about the arrest of one of their accomplices as well as the victim, they left the house leaving behind surgical instruments in the illegal mini-operation theatre set up in a rented house in Bahria Town’s Phase VIII.

The court extended the suspect’s physical remand for four days on Thursday and it was further extended for three days on Saturday as the police were unable to get any clue about other gang members.

The Punjab Human Organ Transplant Authority’s vigilance team in a joint operation with Rawalpindi police apprehended some suspects allegedly involved in illegal transplantation of kidneys on Thursday.

Following directives of the authority’s director general, Prof Dr Mohammad Shehzad Anwar, a team headed by Adnan Ahmed Bhatti, deputy director of vigilance, was constituted.

Assistant Director Vigilance Hasan Akhtar and Assistant Director Technical Dr Faraz were also included in the raiding team. The vigilance team conducted a raid and sealed the two private houses in Bahria Town’s phase VIII, where the mini operation theatre had been established by quacks for removing kidneys.

The raiding team also confiscated a costly car parked in the house.

The suspect in this case carried out the transplant on an Omani national, who later disappeared or is hidden somewhere in the garrison city.

Dr Anwar said that in the last three months, six different groups involved in illegal transplants have been arrested and the doctors and agents involved in this illegal scandal do not deserve any pardon.

Published in Dawn, February 20th, 2023