Dr. Amit will be extradited soon from Nepal, says Sriprakash Jaiswal

New Delhi, Feb 8 : Union Minister of State for Home Sriprakash Jaiswal on Friday said that Dr Amit Kumar, kingpin of a major kidney racket in the country, would be extradited soon from Nepal.

"We are grateful to Nepal Police," said Jaiswal, adding that the extradition from Nepal will take place soon.

Meanwhile, External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee has said the Centre would proceed after confirming the news from officials in Nepal.

On Thursday evening, Nepal Police had arrested Dr Amit Kumar and one of his close associates from a resort in Chitwan.

A police team led by Deputy Inspector General Kiran Kumar Gautam arrested Dr Amit, said Nepalese State Minister for Home Ram Kumar Chaudhari.

According to Kantipur online, the police had seized a bank draft worth 936,000 rupees, and 145,000 Euros and 18,900 dollars in cash from Dr Amit's possession.

Dr Amit and two of his aides had reached Chitwan three days ago and they reached the hotel on Wednesday evening.

He had also stayed at Radisson Hotel in Kathmandu on January 28, according to police officials.

They also said that one Pankaj Jha was working in Nepal on behalf of Dr Amit.

On February 1, Interpol had issued warrants against the two key accused in the multi-million kidney transplant scam, Dr Amit Kumar and his brother, Jeevan Rawat.

The 'red corner' notices were issued following request from the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

Amit had reportedly fled shortly before Haryana Police conducted raids at his properties in Gurgaon, and at other places across the country.

Earlier, Haryana Police had discovered an illegal hospital being run from a house in Gurgaon where the transplants were allegedly carried out.

Police have sealed Amit's six properties in Gurgaon and eight bank accounts.

It is suspected that at least 500 transplants would have been conducted as part of the racket with most of the victims hailing from Meerut, Ghaziabad and Moradabad districts of Uttar Pradesh.

ANI