Kidney scam: Cops detail absconding racketeer

The Azad Maidan police is keeping an eye on the goings-on in hospitals after nabbing Shiva Kamat alias Shiva Sawant, who was involved in the Bombay Hospital kidney racket case, on Friday.

Sawant (45), who had been absconding after he was granted bail in 2004, came to Mumbai for knee treatment in Bombay Hospital a few days ago. In the backdrop of the Hiranandani Hospital kidney scam, the police had received a tip about Sawant’s presence in the city from certain sources.

After he was detained, he admitted that he was arrested sometime between 1994-1998 in the kidney racket and that almost 25 to 30 kidneys were exchanged at that time for which he had received Rs 15 to Rs 20 lakh per kidney. The Azad Maidan police will hand over his custody to the crime branch.

Speaking about Sawant, a senior officer at the Azad Maidan police station said, “He is from Sindhudurg. His parents died a long time ago and he isn’t married. After fleeing Mumbai, he resided in Belgaum for a while before abandoning it for Kolhapur.

Later, he shifted to Pune. Over there, he used to work in dance bars where he would set up food stalls. Later, he started supplying blood to hospitals in Pune.

A few days ago, he decided to go to Bombay Hospital after he injured his knee. Incidentally, he had injured his knee and received treatment for the same at Bombay Hospital some years ago.”

An officer at the police station said that they were interrogating Sawant and called the crime branch officers to identify him. Also, the police is verifying details given by him about his whereabouts and is looking into blood supply ‘business’. They will handover him to crime branch soon.