India expected Nepal to hand over to the CBI Amit Kumar, the alleged kingpin of the kidney transplant racket, at the 'earliest possible'.
KATHMANDU/NEW DELHI: India on Friday expected Nepal to hand over to the CBI Amit Kumar, the alleged kingpin of the kidney transplant racket, at the 'earliest possible' as police in Kathmandu claimed that the doctor has 'confessed' to carrying out over 300 operations.
But Kumar, who was presented before the media, said he was not a kidney dealer and had not committed any crime.
In New Delhi, External Affairs Ministry spokesman Navtej Sarna said 'given the nature of the case and the close cooperation that exists between legal and security authorities between India and Nepal, we expect that Dr Amit would be handed over to the Indian authorities at the earliest possible'.
CBI has taken up the matter of Kumar's handing over with the Nepalese government through the Indian embassy, he said.
40-year-old Kumar, brought to the Nepalese capital from Chitwan near the Indo-Nepal border after he was arrested from a jungle resort on Thursday, said, "I have not committed any crime. Allegations against me have been cleared in court."
"I am just a doctor, not a kidney dealer. I will reveal all the truth by organising a press conference after my release," the smartly-dressed Kumar said.
Nepalese police said after questioning Kumar that he had 'confessed' to carrying out over 300 kidney transplants in India.
Kumar was arrested from Hotel Wildlife Camp in Chitwan in southern Nepal, 60 kms from the Indian border, ending a fortnight-long manhunt.
"I am not running away, I am defending myself," Kumar said while charging that he was being 'falsely implicated'.
He will be produced in a Nepalese court on Sunday and charged with violating foreign currency laws, police said.
Police seized a bank draft for Indian Rs 9.36 lakh, Euros 1.45 lakh and $18,900 in cash from Kumar during his arrest.
Nepalese daily 'Himalayan Times' quoting witnesses said Kumar had tried to bribe the Nepal police team which went to arrest him.
"I will give you Rs 20 lakh if you let me go," Kumar was quoted as saying by hotel employee Maheshwar Regmi. Kumar was sporting a hat and sunglasses to conceal his identity.
Kumar was nabbed from the jungle resort close to the Indian border town of Raxaul last evening. He was brought to Kathmandu at midnight amid tight security and held at Hanumandhoka police station.
Police said they also recovered some fake documents from him which indicated that he was trying to acquire Nepalese citizenship and another passport apparently to help him fly to Canada to join his family there.
They said Kumar claimed that he came to Nepal from Canada on December 13 and the next day he left for India by road.
He returned to Kathmandu on January 26 by road and stayed at Hotel Radisson in Lazimpat till January 29. He then stayed at hotels in Thamel till February 5 and left for Chitwan by taxi, where he was eventually caught last evening by Nepalese police.
Nepalese police said that Kumar 'admitted' to charging Rs three-four lakh for each transplant. He 'confessed' to looking for hospitals in Nepal through an agent Pankaj Jha, who is now absconding.
An Interpol Red Corner Notice was issued against the tainted doctor after the massive racket with inter-state and international ramifications came to light on January 24.
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