New Delhi,  Delhi Police have busted a kidney transplant racket and arrested 10 persons in connection with the case, an official said on Wednesday.

The accused have been identified as Kuldeep Ray Vishwakarma (kingpin), Sarvjeet Jailwal (37), Shailesh Patel (23), Md Latif (24), Vikas (24), Ranjit Gupta (43), Dr Sonu Rohilla (37), Dr Sourabh Mittal (37), Om Prakash Sharma (48) and Manoj Tiwari (36).

It is learnt that the accused persons illegally transplanted more than 20 kidneys.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (south), Benita Mary Jaiker, said an information was received on May 26 at the Hauz Khas police station regarding an illegal kidney transplant racket operating in the Hauz Khas area, which targeted poor people and induced them to sell their kidneys.

A tip-off was received that a person will be taken to a private lab for pre-anaesthesia check-up by the members of the racket and subsequently a trap was laid near the lab.

"One person was spotted who informed that he was being taken to the lab by Sarvjeet and Vipin on the pretext of treatment for his abdomen pain, but when he realised that they were taking him there for kidney donation, he had arguments with them following which they went away," the DCP said.

Accordingly, the police registered a case under the relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Transplantation of Human Organs Act and took up the investigation.

The police constituted a team which conducted raid at A Block, DDA Flats, Paschim Vihar, where four persons, including accused Shailesh Patel and three others -- Diwarkar Sarkar, Ashwini Pandey and Rizwan -- were found present. On questioning, it was revealed that these three persons were taken there for illegal kidney transplantation.

"The three persons were about to be taken for kidney transplant, but due to the police's timely intervention, the plan was foiled," the DCP said.

Both Sarvjeet and Shailesh were then questioned at length and on the basis of sufficient evidence, they were arrested.

On interrogation, the duo revealed that they used to target poor people for kidney and brought them to Vikas and one doctor who gave them Rs 30,000-40,000 as commission. They further sold the kidneys to rich persons at higher rates.

Vikas provided accommodation to all the sellers at Paschim Vihar and further sent them to Sonu Rohilla through accused Ranjeet Gupta at Gohana, Sonipat, for illegal kidney transplantation.

The police team along with a forensic squad then conducted raid at a hospital in Gohana where a setup was created by the accused persons for illegal kidney transplantation and arrested Sonu Rohilla.

Another accused, Dr Sourabh Mittal, an anesthesist who worked with a reputed hospital in Delhi, helped perform the illegal transplants, the officer said.

During interrogation, it was revealed that Kuldeep Ray Vishwakarma was the main mastermind behind the racket who convinced others for illegal transplants. Kuldeep also selected the clinic of Sonu Rohilla for execution of the crime.

He was the person who paid all the other accused persons. The gang had performed 12-14 illegal transplants during the last 6-7 months at the Gohana setup.

The accused used to target young boys in the age group of 20 to 30 years, who were in desperate need of money.