Ernakulam Native Arrested in Iran Organ Trafficking Racket
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has arrested the main accused in a case registered for human trafficking to Iran for illegal organ donation. The arrested individual has been identified as Madhu Jayakumar, a native of Ernakulam. Reports indicate that he was apprehended on November 8 upon his arrival from Iran. Madhu was subsequently produced before a court in Kochi and remanded to NIA custody until November 19. NIA officials are currently interrogating him, as he is suspected to be the mastermind allegedly controlling organ trafficking operations in collaboration with hospitals in Iran.
The activities of this international racket first came to light in May 2024 when the Immigration Bureau apprehended a Thrissur native, Sabith Nasser (30) from Edamuttam, at Kochi airport. Nasser was arrested upon his arrival from Iran via Kuwait and was later handed over to the Ernakulam Rural Police on suspicion of involvement in an international network engaged in human organ trade and trafficking.
Investigations suggest that Sabith convinced victims that donating organs for money was legal and facilitated kidney transplants abroad between January 2019 and May 2024. He is believed to have involved approximately 20 individuals from India, primarily from North India, as both donors and recipients for kidney transplants at a hospital in Iran. Following these revelations, the Ernakulam Rural Police initially formed a special investigation team before the NIA took over the probe.
In August 2024, the NIA filed a charge sheet against four accused in the case, stating that the racket operated under the guise of medical tourism. Three of the accused—Sabith, Sajith Shyam, and Bellamkonda Ram Prasad—had already been arrested. However, Madhu had remained at large. In February 2025, an Interpol Red Corner Notice was issued against him while he was residing in Iran.
All four accused have been charged under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). The NIA stated that they were involved in luring young people to donate organs and trafficking them abroad. They identified donors in India and exploited them through agents and social media. The gang also targeted Indian patients in need of transplants, reportedly charging approximately 50 lakh rupees for facilitating kidney transplants in Iran.
Investigations revealed that the accused misled both donors and recipients, making them believe that organ trade was legal in Iran. Furthermore, the probe uncovered forged documents, including seals and signatures of government offices and officials, which were used to facilitate the illegal trade.