Kidney racket: Another broker arrested

The two brokers and two Grama Niladaris, who were arrested in connection with the illegal kidney transplant racket at a private hospital in Borella, were ordered to be remanded till February 14 by Colombo Additional Magistrate

Rajindra Jayasuriya yesterday. Senior Deputy Solicitor General Dileepa Peiris appearing on behalf of the Attorney General’s Department told the Magistrate that an another individual who had acted as a broker between the hospital and potential victims, has been arrested by the Colombo Crimes Division on January 30.

The suspect has been identified as a 53-year-old resident of Wellampitiya.

The Magistrate ordered to produce the suspect before an identification parade following a request made by the SDSG Dileepa Peiris.

He further highlighted that CCD have recorded statements from a professor, an attorney and a Justice of Peace regarding the incident. SDSG Peiris noted that all the duty books belonging to these two grama sevaka’s have been intentionally hidden by them.

Attorneys appearing for the suspects informed the Magistrate that another female has been arrested by the CCD pertaining to the incident and she was released on police bail without producing her to the Magistrate’s Court.

Replying to that, SDSG Dileepa Peiris pointed out that the aforementioned woman has been arrested at the Bandaranaike International Airport upon her arrival.”She reached Sri Lanka from India. The arrested woman was gone to India for a pregnancy test. She was released on police bail considering some humanitarian issues that arose at that time. She will be arrested in the future regarding the incident,”he added.

Meanwhile, Mohammed Bashir alias Mohammed Rajabdeen,who was remanded in connection with the illegal kidney racket was enlarged on bail. The suspect was released on two sureties of Rs.1 million each. The Magistrate ordered him to report to the Colombo Crimes Division on the last Sunday of each month.

The Magistrate fixed further inquiries for February 14.