ED raids hospitals, residences across Kerala in organ donation racket probe
Public Lokpal
June 18, 2026
ED raids hospitals, residences across Kerala in organ donation racket probe
New Delhi: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Thursday conducted searches at multiple hospitals and residences across Kerala as part of a money laundering investigation linked to an alleged organ donation racket that used forged documents to facilitate illegal transplants.
Searches were carried out at five locations in Kochi, Thiruvananthapuram and Kottayam districts from early morning, officials said.
According to ED sources, the agency initiated the probe based on several FIRs registered by the police in different districts against a network allegedly involved in arranging illegal organ donations over the past few years.
A preliminary investigation indicated that the accused acted as intermediaries between organ donors, recipients and hospitals, allegedly charging substantial sums to facilitate donations. Based on these findings, the ED registered a money laundering case.
Officials said the searches targeted hospitals that allegedly had financial dealings with the prime accused, Najeeb. In Kochi alone, raids were conducted at three locations.
The simultaneous searches began around 6 am, with investigators scrutinising bank transactions and medical records linked to organ donation procedures.
Police investigations have found that the organ donation process involves complex verification procedures that require certificates and clearances from the police, local bodies, doctors, MLAs, and MPs.
The accused allegedly used forged documents to bypass these procedures.
According to police FIRs, the gang had been active since August 2023 and allegedly forged letterheads of two private hospitals in Kochi, police clearance certificates, and letters in the names of MLAs, MPs, and police officers.
Police further alleged that the gang forged recommendation letters of several prominent doctors.
Cases related to the racket have been registered in multiple districts, as it allegedly operated across Kerala.
The key accused, Najeeb, a native of Kasaragod, was arrested by police in Uttar Pradesh last month.
PTI