Bihar kidney scam: Accused arrested as he returns to meet family

Patna: One of the accused in the kidney removal incident in Bihar’s Muzaffarpur has been arrested, an official said.

The arrested accused, identified as Pawan Kumar Singh, was part of a surgical team which had operated on a woman and removed both her kidneys. The incident occurred at Subh Kant clinic in Muzaffarpur in the second week of September this year. The victim was admitted in the clinic for abdominal pain and the accused doctors, after inspection, said that her uterus is infected and needs to be removed.

The family members filled the consent form for the operation to remove the uterus but doctor R.K. Singh removed both the kidneys. The victim is currently on dialysis in Sri Krishna Medical College in Muzaffarpur.

Following the incident, the doctor involved in the operation fled from Muzaffarpur. Pawan Singh also fled to Delhi and stayed at his friend’s house there. He had planned to flee to Bhutan, but before that, returned home to meet his family members.

The local police got the tip-off about his arrival and a team led by Sakra SHO Saroj Kumar raided his house and arrested him.

During interrogation, Pawan Singh revealed that the victim was operated by Dr R.K. Singh and a few nursing staff. He said as he had gone out as he had to pick his children from school, and after returning to the clinic, found the operation was completed but her health deteriorated.

“The doctors have referred her to Patna Medical College and Hospital (PMCH) for better treatment. They have sent me with the patient and her family members to PMCH where I learnt that both the kidneys were removed. Then, I silently escaped from PMCH and reached Delhi,” Singh told Muzaffarpur police.

DSP, Muzaffarpur, Manoj Pandey said: “At present, there is no evidence of human organ trade in this incident so far. It seems to be a case of negligence. We have arrested one of the accused and the raids are on to nab others. The actual reason of the incident will be ascertained only after the arrest of main accused Dr R.K. Singh.”