Kidney scam: Doctor, another accused record statement in Delhi court

Kidney transplant racket kingpin Amit Kumars doctor aide and a tout allegedly involved in the case recorded their statements in a nine-hour-long proceeding in a Delhi court.

New Delhi, Feb 24 : Kidney transplant racket kingpin Amit Kumar's doctor aide and a tout allegedly involved in the case recorded their statements in a nine-hour-long proceeding in a Delhi court.

Saraj Kovind and Gyasuddin were produced before Metropolitan Magistrate Chandra Shekhar, who recorded their statements under Section 164 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC).

Due to shortage of time another accused in the case Jagdish could not record his statement. His statement would now be recorded on February 25.

Earlier the court had allowed the three accused to record their statements and sent them to judicial custody to give them a chance to re-consider their decision as their statement could be used against as evidence during the trial.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had filed the applications on 21st February before the court stating that the three accused, who were in its custody, wanted to record their confessional statements.

"They want to make their statements before the court. They have also shown a desire and willingness to confess their guilt and state all facts within their knowledge," the CBI had claimed.

Kovind was accused of helping Kumar in performing surgeries at his nursing home in Gurgaon while Jagdish and Gyasuddin were allegedly working as a technician and a tout for arranging donors, respectively.

Amit and others have been booked under various sections of the IPC including 384 (extortion), 385 (putting persons in fear for extorting money), 342 (wrongful confinement) and 120B (criminal conspiracy).

They have been accused of having forced or duped around 500 people, mostly from the underprivileged sections of society, into donating their kidneys.

The 40-year-old tainted doctor was flown from Kathmandu on February 9 by a three-member CBI team. He was arrested in Chitwan in Nepal on February 7 and is wanted by Haryana and Uttar Pradesh police in connection with an inter-state and international kidney transplant scam.

The alleged mastermind in a kidney transplant racket, Dr. Amit Kumar is in judicial custody till March 7.

ANI