OTTAWA - RCMP are looking into reports that a doctor in India who is said to have family connections in Canada was involved in the illegal sale of organs for transplant.
Police in India have raided hospitals and guest houses in a widespread investigation into a kidney transplant racket.
The scam, centred in Gurgaon - a posh suburb of New Delhi - used luxury cars outfitted with blood-testing machines to test donors on the fly as well as sophisticated surgical equipment hidden inside a residential neighbourhood.
Officials say kidneys were removed from up to 500 poor labourers and sold to wealthy patients. It is unclear if the poor people actually sold the organs or whether they were duped by dozens of doctors allegedly involved in the scheme.
Indian media report that one of several people allegedly involved in the scheme is a man whose family is based in Canada.
The suspect has been identified as Amit Kumar - one of several names used by that individual, according to media reports.
The RCMP's Sylvie Tremblay, speaking on behalf of Interpol, said from Ottawa that authorities have very limited information on Kumar.
"Based on the limited information available at this time, we can not confirm any outstanding notices on this individual from the National Central Bureau in New Delhi," said Tremblay.
"We can however say that Interpol Ottawa has been in communication with Interpol New Delhi about this case," she said.
The Times of India quoted police Supt. Manjul Saini as saying police are certain Kumar's family "is based in Canada and he visited them a fortnight ago."
The report goes on to say that police have recovered e-mails from Kumar's Gurgaon's premises in which patients from Canada have inquired about the details of the operation.
Saini is quoted as saying that "dealing with foreign clients from Canada would have helped him (Kumar) avoid suspicion."
Gurgaon Police Commissioner Mohinder Lal said on Monday that the primary suspects, including Kumar, were believed to have fled the country.
