Rajasthan: 3 held for issuing fake organ transplant NOCs; arrested officer suspended

A team of the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has arrested three people for taking bribe on the pretext of issuing no-objection certificates for organ transplant cases, according to an official statement on Monday.

Staff of SMS Hospital and middlemen involved in carrying out organ transplant were caught red-handed at the hospital while allegedly taking a bribe of Rs 70,000 for issuing NOC, Ravi, Deputy Inspector General of Police (ACB) said on Monday.

The accused, who issued fake NOCs in lieu of money, include an officer of Sawai Mansingh (SMS) Hospital here and organ transplant coordinators at EHCC Hospital and Fortis Hospital, Ravi said.

The state government on Monday issued an order stating it has suspended Gaurav Singh from the position of assistant administrative officer of SMS Hospital after his arrest by ACB in the case.

According to a statement released by the ACB here, a complaint was received that fake NOCs for organ transplantation were being issued by an employee posted at SMS Hospital in collusion with the middlemen, without taking approval from the committee concerned.

After verifying the complaint, the ACB team reached SMS Hospital Sunday late night and caught red-handed Singh and Anil Joshi, organ transplant coordinator at EHCC Hospital when they were taking a bribe of Rs 70,000. Three fake NOCs were also recovered from them on the spot.

The team also arrested another accused Vinod, an organ transplant coordinator at Fortis Hospital here.

According to a spokesperson of the Health Department, taking immediate action in the case, the state government has suspended Singh from the position of assistant administrative officer of SMS Hospital.

An order in this regard was issued by the Medical Department on Monday.

Chairing a high-level meeting, Shubhra Singh, Additional Chief Secretary of Medical and Health Department, instructed officials to take immediate action in the case of giving fake NOC for organ transplant by taking bribe.

She also asked a high-level committee to investigate the matter and submit a report within 15 days. The department had taken suo motu cognisance and requested the ACB to investigate the matter, Singh said, adding that the government is serious regarding this issue. Action is also being taken under the Human Organ Transplant Act 1994 to suspend the organ transplant licence of EHCC Hospital with immediate effect, she said.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)