Authorities have taken into custody a former senior medical official in connection with an alleged organ trafficking operation that exploited vulnerable patients at one of the city's most prestigious private hospitals.
Dr Ajay Taware, previously serving as medical superintendent at Sassoon General Hospital, was arrested on Thursday by the crime branch investigating a sophisticated kidney transplant racket dating back to 2022. The operation allegedly involved fraudulent organ swaps at Ruby Hall Clinic, where desperate patients were matched with paid donors through deceptive arrangements.
The investigation centres on a March 2022 incident where a woman from Kolhapur allegedly posed as a patient's wife to donate her kidney for &pound;12,000. The elaborate scheme involved what medical authorities call a "kidney swap" - where two unrelated patients exchange organs through their supposed relatives when direct transplants aren't possible due to blood type incompatibility.
"We have taken Dr Ajay Taware into custody in the kidney racket case and he will be produced before the court today," Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime) Nikhil Pingale confirmed at Thursday's briefing.
The racket unravelled when the Kolhapur woman revealed her true identity four days after surgery, following a dispute over payment. She had been promised substantial compensation for participating in the fraudulent arrangement, which saw her kidney transplanted to a young female patient whilst the patient's mother donated to the original male recipient.
Taware's arrest adds another layer to his legal troubles. He remains imprisoned at Yerwada Central Jail following last year's detention for allegedly tampering with blood samples in the high-profile Porsche crash case, where a 17-year-old fatally struck two people in Kalyani Nagar.
At the time of the alleged kidney racket, Taware headed the Regional Authorisation Committee responsible for approving organ transplants - a position that would have granted him significant influence over the approval process.
The investigation has cast a spotlight on private healthcare practices, with authorities having registered cases against 15 individuals in May 2022, including Ruby Hall Clinic's managing trustee and several employees.
The case highlights the vulnerability of patients requiring life-saving transplants and the potential for exploitation within India's organ transplant system, where legitimate donors are often in short supply and waiting lists can extend for years.

Former medical superintendent arrested over alleged organ trafficking at Pune clinic

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Former medical superintendent arrested over alleged organ trafficking at Pune clinic

May 29, 2025 | 10:33 IST