Apollo’s screening panel members may be booked

After the kidney racket bust on Thursday night, the Delhi Police is all set to book members of Hospital Internal Authorization Committee of the Indraprastha Apollo Hospital on charges of conspiracy and negligence under the Indian Penal Code and relevant Sections of Transplant of Human Organ Act (THOA). 

Sources said that some documents from the hospital were acquired by the police and further investigation was underway.

A highly-placed source privy to the ongoing investigation told Millennium Post: “The roles of the members across the committee have been under the scanner since the police team got the tip-off. Apart from Apollo hospital, other private hospitals (names not disclosed) are also under the radar as it has been found that few members of this committee are also members of committees in other private hospitals.”

According to the laws governing live donation, “The relatives who are allowed to donate include immediate relatives, such as the mother, father, brother, sister or spouse of the patient. Recently, in the new Gazette, grandparents have been included in the list of first relatives. The first relatives are required to provide proof of their relationship by genetic testing and/or by producing legal documents. In the event of there being no first relatives, the recipient and donor are required to seek special permission from the government appointed authorization committee and appear for an interview in front of the committee to prove that the motive of donation was purely out of altruism or affection for the recipient.”

Only further investigation can determine whether genetic tests were carried out in these cases, which were authorised for transplantation at the hospital. 

“So far it came to light that the committee consists of six to seven members of doctors of the hospital, independent staff and government doctors. Their work is to verify the documents, willingness of the donors, relationship of the donors with their recipients as well as proof of address/identification. 

“But negligence on the part of the committee meant that the perpetrators could get away with providing fake documents” said a senior police official who added: “The committee members are guilty of conspiracy or negligence. Either way, the members are at fault and are liable to be booked for the crime.” The hospital authorities refused to share any information.