The
Hindu: Chennai: Monday, September 16, 2019.
Madurai
police launch investigation into organ scam that was exposed by The Hindu in
2018
The
Tamil Nadu Information Commission has directed the Transplant Authority of
Tamil Nadu (TRASTAN) to share details about the number of kidneys allotted to a
city-based corporate hospital and information about recipients with a
petitioner, who sought the data under the Right to Information Act, 2005.
The
order assumes significance against the backdrop of the fact that post-transplant
data is considered a crucial record of the human organ transplantation
programme in the State and it is not made available in the public domain.
Transtan, which is implementing the programme under the supervision of the
National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (NOTTO), a national body
under the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, has now initiated the
process of collecting post-transplant data, including details of national and
international beneficiaries, in the State.
In
July 2017, L. Jagannathan of Chennai wrote to the Health Department seeking to
know under RTI Act the number of ‘B Positive’ kidneys allotted to the corporate
hospital, both local and shared, between 2015 and 17. He also sought to know
the number of patients whose names enrolled through the hospital were removed
from the waitlist by Transtan and the details of beneficiaries who underwent
kidney transplantation during that period.
Not
satisfied with the reply of the Public Information Officer and the first
appellate authority, he moved the Tamil Nadu Information Commission. He claimed
that the public authority had not furnished the complete information. The PIO
representing Transtan explained that the information sought by the petitioner
was already given and even submitted copies of the replies.
After
hearing both sides, Tamil Nadu Information Commissioner S. Selvaraj noted that
the information with reference to a particular question raised by the
petitioner was not furnished and directed Transtan to provide it within a
stipulated time and report compliance to the Commission.
Probe
launched
In
a related development, the Madurai Police launched investigation into the
sensational organ transplant scam which was exposed by The Hindu in June 2018.
Based on a complaint preferred by an advocate, C. Anandraj of Madurai, to the
CBI, which was later referred to the State police, the Anna Nagar police
summoned and examined the petitioner on his allegations of serious
irregularities in the human organ transplantation programme in Tamil Nadu.
The
petition mostly relies on the series of reports published by The Hindu and
points to two specific instances where suspected irregularities occurred in the
allocation of organs.
“I
have explained in detail the irregularities to the Assistant Commissioner of
Police and gave documents in support of my allegations. My written statement
explains how the scam took place and why it is a fitting case for the CBI to
investigate. I have urged the investigation officer to summon and examine the
doctors, patients, hospital authorities and others involved in the scam,” Mr. Anandraj
told The Hindu.
His
public interest litigation petition seeking a CBI probe into the scam is
pending in the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court.
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