File picture of activists protesting against the kidney racket in Bhubaneswar

Cuttack, June 1: A woman, again, has allegedly fallen prey to the kidney sale racket that was busted by the city police last month.

The 38-year-old woman has now sought assistance of the police after she was allegedly duped of Rs 10 lakh, which was promised to her in lieu of one of her kidneys.

The victim’s husband has lodged a complaint with Mangalabag police yesterday alleging cheating by the racketeers. No arrests have been made in connection with this case, however Sarmistha Nayak, who was involved in the previous incident, is one of the accused.

The presence of kidney racket came to the fore when one Padmini Nayak of Thoriasahi was lured into donating her kidney in exchange of money in April. Later, two persons were arrested in connection with the incident, which had caused a state-wide uproar.

The city police registered a case under Indian penal code sections 468, 471, 120 (b) and began investigation into the fresh allegation.

Though the kidney was removed and implanted on a Bhubaneswar-based recipient at a hospital in Vishakhapatnam in April, the donor is yet to get the money promised to her, the complainant alleged.

“Sarmistha Nayak had contacted me and offered Rs 10 lakh in exchange of kidney. As I had incurred huge loan, I had decided to the donate kidney with a hope that all my financial problems would come to an end,” said the victim, who wished not to be named.

The police had earlier arrested Sarmistha in connection with the kidney racket on May 13, as she was found to have lured Padmini to donate her kidney in exchange of money.

Besides Sarmistha, police had also arrested Nirakar Choudhry while two other persons are still absconding in connection with the kidney sale racket in the city.

Padmini had alleged that she was promised Rs 2.5 lakh for donating her kidney, but she was only paid Rs 50,000 following the transplant at a private hospital in Bhubaneswar in April.

During investigation, the cops had found that the documents prepared including the income certificate for the kidney transplant were forged.

Sarmistha, who used to run a self-help group at Naiksahi, had initially contacted the second victim and had promised her to pay Rs 10 lakh in exchange of money.

“I was forced to lodge a police complaint as I was paid Rs 50,000, while Sarmistha and others have taken away the restof the amount,” the victim added.