Rachakonda Police Bust Illegal Kidney Transplantation Racket
In a major breakthrough, the Rachakonda Police in Telangana uncovered an illegal kidney transplantation racket at Alakananda Hospital, Hyderabad. The operation led to the arrest of nine individuals, including the hospital’s Managing Director, Dr. Guntupally Sumanth, along with several other doctors and mediators involved in the illegal activities.
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Raid Conducted on Hospital Premises
Acting on credible information, a joint team comprising officials from the Saroornagar Police, the Special Operations Team (SOT) of LB Nagar Zone, and the District Medical & Health Officer (DMHO) of Ranga Reddy district raided the hospital on January 21, 2025. During the raid, the police found four individuals: two donors, one recipient, and the hospital’s Managing Director, Dr. Sumanth.
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Hospital Lacked Authorization
Investigations revealed that Alakananda Hospital lacked the necessary authorization to perform kidney transplantation surgeries. Further inquiries uncovered that the hospital was being operated by Dr. Siddamshetty Avinash, a doctor who had completed his MBBS in China and earned a Diploma in Surgery in Pune, Maharashtra. Dr. Avinash had taken over Janani Hospital in 2022 but ran into financial trouble. He was then approached by a man named Laxman from Vizag with the idea of conducting illegal kidney transplants.
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Details of the Racket
Dr. Avinash agreed to Laxman’s proposal and began facilitating the illegal surgeries. He reportedly received ₹2.5 lakh for each transplantation. Other key figures in the racket included the main surgeon, Dr. Raja Shekhar Perumal from Tamil Nadu, and Dr. Sohib from Jammu & Kashmir. Operating theater assistants Shankar (Tamil Nadu), Pradeep, and Suraj (Karnataka) also played active roles in the illegal operations.
The recipients were charged ₹55-60 lakh for each surgery. Of this amount, ₹5 lakh was paid to the donor, ₹2.5 lakh to Dr. Avinash, ₹10 lakh to the lead surgeon, and approximately ₹30,000 to each operating theater assistant. The remaining money went to the organizers and mediators.
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Arrests and Seizures
On January 23, 2025, police arrested Dr. Guntupally Sumanth (Managing Director of Alakananda Hospital) and Narasani Gopi (a receptionist and assistant to Dr. Avinash). They were produced before the court and remanded to judicial custody.
On January 25, 2025, seven more individuals were arrested. These included:
– A-1: Dr. Siddamshetty Avinash
– A-6: Ponnuswamy Pradeep
– A-7: Ramavath Ravi
– A-11: Sapavath Ravinder
– A-12: Sapavath Harish
– A-13: Podila Sai
– A-14: Suraj Mishra
During the raid, the police seized a TATA Punch car, a surgical kit, and ₹5 lakh in cash. The seven suspects were presented in court, and further arrests are expected as the investigation continues.
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Police Commendation and Legal Action
The Rachakonda Commissioner of Police and the DCP of LB Nagar Zone commended the police team, led by Inspector Shri V. Saidi Reddy, for their diligent efforts in uncovering the racket. Legal cases have been registered against the accused under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues Act, 1994.
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Appeal to the Public
The Rachakonda Police Commissionerate expressed gratitude to the public for their cooperation in bringing the illegal activities to light. The investigation remains ongoing, and authorities have assured the public that all individuals involved in the racket will face strict legal action.
