New Delhi, Feb 8 : The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) today denied having received any formal confirmation from Kathmandu about the arrest of alleged kidney transplant racket kingpin, Dr. Amit Kumar, but expressed hope of full co-operation from Nepal in the case.
In a major breakthrough, the Nepal unit of Interpol and Nepal police, on Thursday, arrested Dr Amit from a jungle resort in Chitwan in Nepal.
"The CBI has not got any formal confirmation from Kathmandu about the arrest of fugitive. Though we have the confirmation at informal levels," CBI Director Vijay Shankar told reporters here today.
He further said that the Delhi unit of Interpol and the CBI are in touch with the Interpol Kathmandu and also with the Indian Embassy in Kathmandu.
"As in past we have had excellent cooperation from the Nepal Government, in this case too their co-operation will be forthcoming," Shankar said.
Dr Amit Kumar is wanted by Haryana police and the police of several other states, since the multi-billion-rupee kidney scandal was unearthed on January 24 in Gurgaon.
"I came to know from the media that there are some cases registered against him in Nepal as well, " Shankar said.
According to the media reports, the police had seized a bank draft worth 936,000 rupees, and 145,000 Euro and 18,900 dollars in cash from Dr Amit's possession.
Police had earlier arrested Dr Amit's sister-in-law Pooja and driver Umesh, while detaining five other suspects, including a doctor for allegedly luring poor donors from Uttar Pradesh and illegally selling their kidneys.
Those involved in the racket are believed to have sold about 500 kidneys in the past six years. According to the police, the kidneys were sold to recipients at prices ranging from 50,000-100,000 rupees. (ANI)