The Delhi Police SIT probing the inter-State kidney racket is still a non-starter as the Principal Secretary for Health Delhi Government has not given sanctions to prosecute the doctors of Indraprastha Apollo hospital allegedly involved in the incident.

The Investigating Officer (IO) of the case said after they did not get satisfactory answers from three senior nephrologists of the hospital, Dr DK Aggarwal, Dr Ashok Sarin and Dr Jai Hind Kumar Kota, they had sought permission to investigate them and members of the authorisation committee that examines every transplant.

“While one doctor said he was cheated by his personal assistant, other two doctors said they did not know about the racket at all and that they would just forward files to the authorisation committee for organ transplant,” said the official.

Meanwhile, the independent transplant authorisation committee which comprises of seven members completely failed in their responsibility of screening transplant surgeries. When questioned they did not have any explanation for the lapse on their part, the official said.

“The only reason we cannot arrest them is because under Section 22 of the Transplant of Human Organ Act, no court shall take cognisance of an offence under the Act except if the concerned appropriate authority which is the secretary of health GNCT gives permission for it. As per rule we had also sent a letter for permission but have not received the same yet but if we don’t get permission within 60 days, we are entitled to take legal action against the doctors and committee members. The stipulated time period for receiving permission ends on the first week of October,” said the official.