Kathmandu, September 2
Police have arrested 38-year-old Shyam Krishna Bhandari of Sunkoshi Rural Municipality-7, Sindhupalchok, on charges of leading a large-scale kidney trafficking racket. He was taken into custody in India with the assistance of Delhi Police and brought to Kathmandu on Saturday.
According to the Human Trafficking Investigation Bureau, Bhandari is the biggest operator arrested so far in connection with cross-border kidney trafficking. “He is the main planner behind the removal of kidneys from Nepalis in India,” SSP Krishna Pangeni of the Bureau said.
Police reports suggest Bhandari has been involved in the illegal trade for nearly five years while residing in India. He initially traveled to sell his own kidney, but when the medical requirements for donor and recipient did not match, he failed to do so. Instead, he became actively engaged in trafficking kidneys.
After a week-long investigation in Delhi, police arrested Bhandari and his associate, 29-year-old Sujan Bharti of Indrawati Rural Municipality-2, Sindhupalchok, and brought them back to Nepal. The Bureau claims Bhandari has trafficked the kidneys of more than 100 people, although he has so far admitted to 25 cases. At least five victims have already come forward.
Investigators allege Bhandari coordinated with staff and agents at Greater Noida’s Yatharth Hospital and other unidentified clinics in India to remove kidneys. Each operation reportedly earned him more than INR 1 million, with most Nepali donors’ kidneys transplanted into Indian recipients.
The case drew wider attention after nine Nepalis, who were about to have their kidneys removed, were rescued and returned from India once media reports exposed the trafficking network. Bhandari himself admitted to sending the victims back following the revelations.
Earlier, in July, police had arrested Rakesh Nepali, Sameer Nepali, and Rajkumar Nepali in connection with kidney trafficking. During that time, the case of Khil Bahadur Bhujel of Dudhauli Municipality-1, Sindhuli, who was taken to India and had his kidney removed, came to light.
Police also discovered that Bhandari had obtained an Indian Aadhaar card three years ago to facilitate his illegal activities. His accomplice, Sujan Bharti, is said to have collected INR 40,000–50,000 per victim, while many donors received little to no money. One victim admitted to receiving just Rs 5,000, while others got nothing.
So far, seven suspects including Bhandari and Bharti have been arrested. Among them, three—Savin Pant, Rajkumar Tamang, and Sujan Bharti—had each sold one of their own kidneys, using their cases to persuade others to follow suit. The network even trafficked the kidneys of a husband-and-wife from Kavre in July 2024.
The accused face charges under the Human Trafficking and Transportation (Control) Act, 2007, which carries up to 10 years’ imprisonment and fines between NPR 200,000 to 500,000. They are also being investigated under the Organized Crime Control Act, 2013, which prescribes additional penalties.
Police launched “Operation Life Shield” in response to the kidney trafficking revelations. Investigations show the group targeted poor and unsuspecting individuals in districts around Kathmandu, luring them with false promises of jobs or money. Victims were kept in hotels in Delhi’s Lajpat Nagar, where hospital staff would secretly conduct blood tests before transporting them blindfolded to unidentified clinics for surgery.
Since 2016, the Bureau has filed nine kidney trafficking cases, with five additional cases registered in other districts. With the latest arrests, the total number of kidney trafficking cases filed across Nepal in the past seven years has now reached 14.
