Lab assistant of kidney scam in CBI custody

New Delhi, Feb 19: Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Sanjeev Jain today sent to CBI custody till February 23 Manoj Kumar, who was working as a lab assistant at the nursing home of Dr Amit Kumar, the main accused in the kidney scam.

The CBI told the court that Manoj was working with Dr Amit since the year 2000, but left the services of the doctor when the case was registered against the latter in the Nizamuddin police station. He, however, started working with the doctor again and also worked as a tout in arranging the donors for the transplant. Yesterday, the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate sent Dr Jeevan Rawat, brother of Dr Amit Kumar, to CBI custody till February 29.

Dr Amit Kumar was apprehended from Nepal and one of his associates Dr Saraj surrendered before a city court last week. The Gurgaon cops had also arrested Jeevan's wife, Pooja Singhal on Wednesday. She was facing charges of criminal conspiracy in view of her confession of being actively involved in the kidney transplant business, collecting payments from clients and giving post-operative care to patients.

The racket of Dr Amit, who was believed to have conducted over 500 illegal operations in a decade came to light on January 24, when one of the labourers from Moradabad escaped from the grip of the gang and informed the police about the activities of the doctors.

Most of the victims whose kidneys had been removed belonged to poor families in western Uttar Pradesh and the racket was alleged to have international links as well.

UNI