Kidney racket probe widens; inquiry called off midway in Perambalur
"We have a review meeting with officials handling the case. A fresh course of action, likely different from before, will be charted. Data from core points in the state in the investigation is being followed up and analysed," a senior official said.
Multiple sources in the health department confirmed that a state-level inquiry committee, led by the additional director of legal medicine, was scheduled to inspect the Perambalur hospital.
However, the inquiry was called off midway following a meeting convened by S Vineeth, project director of the Tamil Nadu System Reform Programme, in Namakkal, who is overseeing the matter. "The investigation is in full swing," the official said, falling short of confirming that a notice would be issued.
This development comes amid fresh statements from kidney donors in Pallipalayam surfacing on Monday, prompting further criticism from the opposition for the govt's slow handling of the case.
Following the circulation of a new video on social media, former BJP state president K Annamalai reiterated his demand for a special investigation team (SIT), accusing the ruling govt of shielding those involved. "The government hasn't nabbed the broker, M Anandhan, named by a medical officer in Namakkal," Annamalai said on X.
Earlier this week, private hospitals in Trichy and Erode also came under scrutiny. While the hospital in Trichy was issued a notice and asked for an explanation, a hospital in Erode was barred from performing surgeries until further notice.
Namakkal joint director of health services (JDHS) Rajmohan had told TOI that a report was sent to DMS authorities on Saturday based on a donor's formal statement identifying a Perambalur hospital as the site of the surgery. "We received information on six donors, but documents related to five appeared to be fake, and we couldn't trace them. We identified only one on Friday night and obtained a formal statement," Rajmohan said.
The case surfaced after videos of donors emerged on social media, alongside reports that workers from power loom units and dyeing mills in Pallipalayam and surrounding areas were being lured by brokers to sell their kidneys for 5–10 lakh.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
News18
13 hours ago
- News18
'Mocking VP's Health': BJP Retorts As Congress Says Jagdeep Dhankhar's Exit Was Planned
Last Updated: Jagdeep Dhankhar's sudden resignation has sparked a political row, with the Congress suggesting it was pre-planned, and the BJP accusing them of mocking personal health crisis. Politics over the sudden resignation of Jagdeep Dhankhar as the Vice President has deepened, with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) extending him wishes for his good health, and the Congress alleging that the move could be 'pre-planned". Jagdeep Dhankhar on Monday evening resigned from his post citing medical reasons, triggering speculations in political circles. In his resignation letter to President Droupadi Murmu, Dhankhar mentioned that he was stepping down with immediate effect to 'prioritise health care". Slamming the Opposition over its allegations of politics behind the move, BJP MP Ravi Kishan on Tuesday accused the Congress of making fun of Dhankhar's health. 'The Opposition is making fun of someone's health condition and doing politics on it. The level of politics is falling," Ravi Kishan told reporters outside the Parliament, amid the Monsoon Session. 'He (Dhankhar) is ill, his health is not allowing, some report would have come in the evening, he would have been advised rest, he is taking rest, they are doing politics," the BJP MP said. 'There is no guarantee of life; health can deteriorate anytime, the body is also like a machine," he added. Ravi Kishan's reaction came after Congress leader Sukhdeo Bhagat on Tuesday suggested that Jagdeep Dhankar's resignation might have been preplanned, citing the 'disappearance" of Union Minister JP Nadda and Kiren Rijiju from the Business Advisory Committee (BAC) meeting held earlier on Monday. While praying for Dhankar's good health, the Congress MP also mentioned that Dhankar's resignation was 'sudden" and 'unexpected," saying that if he stepped down due to health reasons, then he could have done it before the commencement of the Parliament's Monsoon Session. 'We pray to God for his good health and long life. Everything appears normal in politics, but this is not the case. If it was on health grounds, I think he could have done it even before the session," Bhagat told reporters. 'Yesterday, he suddenly resigned; it was unexpected. The BJP has forgotten their government traditions. Union Minister JP Nadda said 'Whatever I say will go on record', so will you dictate to the Vice President? Secondly, there was a meeting of the Business Advisory Committee yesterday," he added. Speaking on the absence of Nadda and Rijiju from the BAC meeting, the Congress leader said, 'The Parliamentary Affairs Minister disappears. JP Nadda disappears. That's why I said the script was written earlier, and that was seen yesterday." view comments Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
News18
16 hours ago
- News18
Days Before Resignation, VP Dhankhar Hinted At Full Term, But With A Caveat
Last Updated: The remark, largely overlooked at the time, has gained renewed attention following his sudden departure from office. Just ten days before his unexpected resignation, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar had expressed confidence in serving his full term until August 2027, but with a caveat. According to a report by NDTV, Dhankhar remarked while speaking at an event at Jawaharlal Nehru University on July 10. 'I will retire at the right time, August 2027," Dhankhar stated during his address, before qualifying the comment with, 'subject to divine intervention." The remark, largely overlooked at the time, has gained renewed attention following his sudden departure from office. Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar resigned from his post on Monday evening, citing medical reasons, triggering speculation in political circles. In his resignation letter to President Droupadi Murmu, Dhankhar said he was stepping down with immediate effect to 'prioritise health care". 'To prioritise health care and abide by medical advice, I hereby resign as Vice President of India, effective immediately, in accordance with Article 67(a) of the Constitution," he said in the letter to the President. Dhankhar, 74, assumed office in August 2022 and his tenure was till August 2027. The resignation of Dhankhar, also the Rajya Sabha Chairman, came on the first day of the Monsoon session of Parliament. He had recently undergone angioplasty at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Delhi and was admitted to the hospital for a few days in March this year. He appeared not so well at a few events, but has been mostly seen as lively and energetic in his most public appearances, including in Parliament. In his eventful tenure as Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, Dhankhar has had several run-ins with the Opposition, which had also moved a motion to impeach him. The motion to remove him, the first time in independent India to remove a sitting Vice President, was later rejected by Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh. He is the third Vice President of India after V V Giri and R Venkataraman to resign during tenure. Giri and Venkataraman had resigned from the post of Vice President to contest the presidential election. There was no official word from anyone in the government or the ruling BJP on why Dhankhar resigned or who could be his successor. According to rules, elections have to be held 'as soon as possible" to fill the post of vice president. However, the Rajya Sabha deputy chairman can take over the House proceedings till the time a new vice president is elected. Dhankhar was the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance's candidate in the election for Vice President, who is the ex-officio Chair of the Rajya Sabha, in 2022. His resignation triggered speculation with the Congress expressing surprise, saying it is 'totally unexpected" and there is 'far more to it than meets the eye". 'The sudden resignation of the Vice President and Chairman of the Rajya Sabha is as shocking as it is inexplicable," Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said in a post on X. His abrupt resignation follows a day of surprising development in the Rajya Sabha for the government, as an Opposition-sponsored notice for a motion to remove Justice Yashwant Varma was submitted to him and he mentioned the same in the House and asked the secretary general to take further necessary steps. view comments Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Time of India
a day ago
- Time of India
Mysterious joint pain cases surface in Ballari village; villagers seek probe
Pic: Residents of Muddapur No.10 shared their worries regarding the orthopaedic issue during a meeting held on Sunday Ballari: Epidemic outbreaks are commonly seen during specific seasons. However, residents of Muddapura No.10 village in Ballari district are experiencing symptoms of joint pain. Youths aged about 30 years are also facing difficulties sitting on the floor and standing up. They suspect borewell water is the reason for this problem, which has spread among 5% of the population in a year. They demand the authorities investigate the reason. HM Sharanayyaswami, a priest, told TOI that many villagers aged below 40 years are struggling to climb even 4-5 steps due to joint pain. "They need help to ascend or descend steps. We have urged health department officials to conduct a study on this and suggest some remedial measures," he added. Thimmappa Kolli, gram panchayat member, Prabhu Camp, Muddapura No.10, suspected that borewell water may be the reason for the menace. "Health officials take water samples every month for testing and say it is fine for drinking. However, we are worried about the reason as the number of orthopaedic patients is increasing in the village. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Gold Is Surging in 2025 — Smart Traders Are Already In IC Markets Learn More Undo Though there are Reverse Osmosis (RO) units, borewell water is not getting purified. Seeing this issue, the govt has sanctioned a multi-village drinking water project under Jal Jeevan Mission for Bukkasagar and other villages. We should get Tungabhadra water from Bukkasagar. However, the work was going at a snail's pace and has halted now," he alleged. He also said that there is an old pipeline from Timmalapur to Muddapura No.10, which should be replaced with a new one. Gram panchayat Muddapura No.10 has two other villages—Belagod and Timmalapur—which have already been connected with Tungabhadra river water. Muddapura No.10 has a population of about 5,000 and over 200 people are suffering from orthopaedic ailments. They are approaching doctors in Kampli and other towns nearby for treatment. Dr Arun G, taluk health supervisor, said that they convened a meeting with villagers on Sunday and are now holding a health check-up camp on Tuesday. "During our regular water testing, we did not find any bacterial infection. No case of chikungunya was traced. However, the nutritional aspect of water should be checked by the rural development and panchayat raj department," he added.
