Grilling of Sabith continues in organ trafficking case; organ recipients will also be probed

KOCHI: The grilling of Sabith Nasser of Thrissur, accused in the organ trafficking case, is continuing. He is being interrogated by an investigation team headed by Aluva Rural SP. The police have received the details of his phone calls. All information on his foreign visits will also be collected with the help of the immigration department.

The investigation team is trying to find the victims of organ trafficking and the recipients of the organs. The health condition of the victims and how many of them has to return are also being investigated.

As organ donation is an offence under Indian law, as is buying an organ for money, no victim is likely to cooperate with the police. The court remanded the accused in police custody for thirteen days for detailed questioning.

The police have indications that Indians are among those who received organs illegally in Iran. A detailed investigation will be done after collecting the information of the Indians who came to Iran on visiting visa.

The police move is to extend the investigation to Thrissur and Palakkad. In the first stage, the accused told the investigating officers that only Shemeer, a native of Palakkad, was brought to Iran. On further questioning, it was revealed that 20 people were victimized. The investigating officers are trying to find Shemeer as early as possible and take his statement. His mobile phone is switched off.

An investigation is also being conducted in Thrissur after the information came out that some people were made victims for organ trade at Mullasseri panchayat in Thrissur. However, Sabith said that he has no part in it. The police have not believed this.

Sabith and his team had been transporting people from different parts of the country to Iran for organ trafficking since 2019. The police had earlier clarified that the transactions of the accused were organized by influencing economically backward people and then get a fake passport and Aadhaar card.

The surgery was performed in private hospitals in Iran. Those in need of organs will be contacted through other agents in the team. An amount of Rs 60 lakh is demanded as a full package. Kidney donors will be given ticket, accommodation and medical expenses and a compensation up to a maximum of Rs 6 lakh. Will mislead them saying that a huge amount has been spent in the hospital and the remaining amount goes to the pocket of the agents.