DMP busts gang that smuggled victims to India, harvested their kidneys

Police have arrested three members of a gang that lured people offering a job in India and sent them there for kidney transplants.

As far, the gang has taken 10 people from Bangladesh to India and transplanted their kidneys. 

A team from Dhanmondi police station arrested the three members of the gang during a raid following a case filed by a victim named Robin. They were arrested during raids in Dhanmondi and Bagerhat.  

Later, they were sent to court.

 Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) informed this in a press conference on Sunday.

The arrestees are Md Raju Hawlader, 32, Shahed Uddin, 22 and Md Atahar Hossain Bappi, 28. 

Besides, 10-12 people including Md Masum, 27, Shahin, 27, and Sagor alias Mostafa, 37. 

In the statement of the case filed by the victim Robin, it is said that in April 2023, Robin was having tea with a friend behind Mirpur-10 Shah Ali Market. He was talking about the poverty of the family. At that time a man named Masm was also drinking tea next to them. After listening to these conversations, Masum himself told the victim that he had a business in India and could offer a job in that company.

At one point, mobile numbers were exchanged and Robin talked to Masum on mobile for about 15-20 days. When Masum wanted to take Robin to India, he agreed. 

In helping the victim get a passport, Masum told Robin that he would have to undergo some medical tests to go for a job in his company in India. On the morning of September 21 last year, Masum took Robin to LabAid Hospital in Dhanmondi and introduced him to Raju Howladar. There the accused took Robin's passport for a visa after a health examination.

After getting the visa, Robin was introduced to the accused Shahed Uddin, 22 and Md Atahar Hossain Bappi by Masum and Md Raju Howladar.

They said they are business partners of each other and jointly run businesses in Bangladesh and India. The victim was later taken to Delhi, India. He was received there by absconding accused Shahin and Sagor. They received Robin and took his passport. Later Robin was transferred from Delhi to an area called Faridabad.

Masum and Sagar went there while Robin, the victim, was kept confined in Faridabad. When the victim met Masum and asked him about his job, he started making various excuses. 

At one stage the accused took advantage of the victim's financial hardship, and family economic distress and persuaded him to donate a kidney. 

Later, Robin was taken to Asian Hospital in New Delhi and underwent various medical tests related to kidney. After a few days after the medical examination, he was taken to Gujarat, India and kept in a two-storey house in Muktinagar area.

Taking the opportunity of poverty by luring money and under the condition of not telling anyone, the accused in collusion with each other threatened Robin against his will and surgically removed one of Robin's kidneys at the Kidney and Specialized Hospital in Gujarat, India on March 4.

Robin was discharged from the hospital four days after the operation. After he was discharged from the hospital, the accused confined him at a hidden location in India for about 10-11 days. Meanwhile, while in the hospital, Robin came to know through various channels that the accused had sold his kidney to the brokers for around Tk50. At one point, the gang members offered Robin some money. Other members of the gang, who are based in Bangladesh, gave Tk3 lakh to Robin's wife Ishrat Jahan's bkash number. After coming to the country like this, the victim Robin realizes that he has lost his kidney in the clutches of brokers.

Police say that the target of this gang was the people who have financial needs. That's what happened to Robin. 

Robin was given a very small amount of money. But the gang has been selling these kidneys at higher prices. The gang has been operating from Bangladesh to Kolkata and Gujarat. 

Later, Robin filed the case at Dhanmondi police station, thinking about the loss of others through the gang. 

The police also said that an operation is being conducted for the quick arrest of the absconding accused in this case.