Organ trafficking: ED searches leading private hospitals in Kerala

Representative image only. File | Photo credit: Getty Images/iStockphoto

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) is simultaneously raiding several leading private hospitals across Kerala as part of an investigation into alleged money laundering in connection with a suspected organ trade busted by the Kochi state police last month.

Sleuths from the Koch Zonal Unit of the ED on Thursday morning (June 18, 2026) went to multi-specialty hospitals in Ernakulam, Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam and Kottayam districts to investigate the proceeds of crime allegedly generated by the main accused through Mohammed Najeeb Kallatracking, an alleged native of Kasaragodking. The raids were launched on the suspicion that hospital employees colluded with the accused in carrying out the fraud.

Donor registries, transplant records, internal approvals and financial documents at the hospitals are said to be under investigation. Hospital management representatives and doctors may be questioned if evidence of collusion, oversight or negligence emerges.

While the ED is focusing on the suspected financial misappropriation, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the Kerala Police continues to probe the alleged criminal conspiracy, forgery and possible human trafficking.

Although the hospital says transplant procedures were strictly followed, investigators are looking into whether outside actors manipulated the approval process to facilitate illegal transplants. The ED is also probing whether the hospitals had financial transactions with any of the accused.

Organ donation racket from Kerala

The ED’s action follows the Kerala Police’s arrest of an alleged organ smuggler who brokered transplants by exploiting the poor and financially vulnerable. Police suspect that at least 20 dubious transplants were carried out in various hospitals across Kerala after money lured vulnerable donors.

Three arrested for forging documents for organ donation in Ernakulam, Kerala; 3 more on the run

It is alleged that while the recipients paid ₹20-25 million for the transplant, the donors received only ₹5-10 million, with the rest shared by middlemen. Members of the racket are also accused of forging documents to secure the legal approval required for organ transplants. Doctors’ seals, medical certificates and hospital letterheads were allegedly forged along with misuse of blank letterheads in the names of MPs and MLAs to fabricate claims of kinship or altruistic relationships between donors and recipients.

Arrested by a Kerala police team from Ghaziabad in Uttar Pradesh, Najeeb is accused of coordinating an inter-district organ-trafficking network and faces nearly a dozen criminal cases. His wife Rasheeda and several associates were also arrested for their alleged role in the forgery and in identifying and recruiting organ donors from Ernakulam and Kollam districts.

Published – 18 Jun 2026 13:20 IST