Kerala police revealed a major breakthrough in the crackdown on illegal organ trafficking networks with the arrest of the purported mastermind, 41-year-old Ballamkonda Ram Prasad, alias Pratapan. He was apprehended at a hotel in Hyderabad, marking a significant development in the investigation into the Kerala Organ Trafficking case.
Ernakulam Rural SP Vaibhav Saxena revealed that Pratapan, a native of Vijayawada in Andhra Pradesh, was believed to be the key figure behind the illicit operation. A special investigation team conducted the arrest.
Preliminary investigations suggest that numerous individuals have been involved in kidney transplantation transactions with residents of Andhra Pradesh. Victims, predominantly from rural areas, reportedly had their organs harvested in Iran.
Pratapan, initially intending to donate his kidney, later assumed a leading role within the group. He allegedly coordinated with organ recipients via social media and facilitated the transportation of donors from India to Iran.
Upon donation, the donors were returned to India by a suspect named Sabith Nasar, already in police custody. Additionally, Sajith Shyam, suspected of managing the gang’s finances, was also apprehended.
The arrest follows the detention of Nasar, a resident of Valappadu in Thrissur district, who was intercepted at Cochin International Airport Limited (CIAL) based on intelligence from Central agencies.
All involved parties face charges under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Transplantation of Human Organs Act, 1994. A comprehensive investigation, led by the Ernakulam Rural SP, is underway.