Human organ trafficking case: CBI raids doctor's residence in Bengal's Burdwan

Kolkata, May 25 (IANS) The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) conducted marathon raids and search operations at the residence of a reputed physician in Burdwan town in East Burdwan district of West Bengal.

The raid and search operations started around midnight on Saturday and continued till Sunday morning. Sources aware of the development said that huge unaccounted cash, in addition to gold and diamond ornaments, were recovered from his residence.

However, the said doctor, Tapan Kumar Jana, who is currently attached to Murshidabad Medical College and Hospital in Murshidabad district, was not at his residence when the raid and search operations took place.

His wife, Sushmita Jana, who is also a doctor by profession and attached to a medical college and hospital in Kolkata, reportedly told the CBI official that her husband was on duty at his workplace at Murshidabad.

Sources said that besides the cash, gold, and diamond ornaments, the CBI officials also seized a computer hard disc and some paper documents from the residence.

It is learned that the raid and search operations were conducted by the CBI officials strictly as per protocol, with the officials first contacting the local police station on Saturday night before conducting the raids that started around midnight.

The raid and search operations were conducted by a team of eight CBI officials.

The matter of human organ smuggling rackets in medical colleges and hospitals in West Bengal surfaced after CBI and Enforcement Directorate (ED) started an investigation into the case of financial irregularities in state-run R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata, which the ghastly rape and murder of a woman doctor took place in August last year.

One of the principal charges against the then-controversial principal of R.G. Kar, Sandip Ghosh, is his alleged involvement in selling organs of unidentified bodies coming to the hospital morgue for autopsy purposes at premium prices outside. Ghosh is currently in judicial custody.

--IANS

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