Here's how online kidney racketeers trap donors through Telegram, Facebook

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Following a police crackdown on a kidney trafficking network in Delhi, two mid-day correspondents discovered that the illegal trading of organs has moved online, particularly through messaging platforms such as Telegram, which has earned the moniker of the mobile Dark web. The mid-day investigation revealed that these online kidney racketeers take advantage of loopholes to abuse the needy and poor.

How donors are trapped

The mid-day report revealed that the organ traffickers have well-coordinated networks on Telegram and Facebook where they post blood types of the public who need urgent kidney transplants. According to the report, once a donor is found, the racketeers collect documents like Aadhar and PAN cards and match them to the patient's information.

Organ traffickers often, per the report, promise large sums of money to the donor. However, many donors are left disappointed and receive far less than they expected. Worse, some patients have to pay for their post-surgical care.

Racketeers, according to the report, keep an eye on prominent dialysis centres and offer kidneys to patients' families for up to Rs 40 lakhs based on their negotiations. Thereafter, they lure illegal donors to sell their organs who are unaware of the misery that is going to strike them.

These racketeers, in collusion with medical staff and government officials at both the central and state levels, manipulate information so seamlessly and alter the identity of a person to avoid detection. They frequently alter donors' documents by changing their names, birthdates, and addresses.

After the transplant, several persons are left scrambling to restore their identities. However, due to the prospect of legal ramifications, they are too afraid to seek help from security personnel.

Criteria for kidney donation in India

In India, kidney transplantation is governed under the Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues Act (THOTA), 1994, which was revised in 2014. The Act defines eligible donors as spouses, parents, children, siblings, grandparents, and grandchildren, as well as uncles, aunts, cousins, nieces, and nephews. Unrelated donors may also make donations provided they can produce verified proof of fondness or relationship.

To ensure that there are no commercial interactions, all transplants must be approved by an Authorisation Committee (AC) made up of medical specialists, social workers, and government authorities. The sale or purchase of organs is illegal, and donors are not entitled to any cash or recompense.

The Act also requires that transplants be performed in licensed hospitals by authorised medical personnel while maintaining the secrecy of both the donor and receiver. The 2014 changes broadened the definition of "near relatives" and added the opportunity to switch donations between unsuitable donor-recipient combinations.

Violations of the Act can result in imprisonment for 5-10 years and fines ranging from Rs 5 to Rs 20 lakh. Furthermore, the National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (NOTTO) monitors the process to ensure compliance, with states such as Maharashtra requiring rigorous police verification for unrelated donors.