Three laboratory assistants in Bengal hospital arrested for black marketing of blood

Kolkata, Aug 25 (IANS) The West Bengal Police’s anti-corruption wing on Tuesday arrested three laboratory technicians of a state-run hospital on charges of black marketing of blood.

The three arrested laboratory assistants are attached to state-run Panskura Super Speciality Hospital in East Midnapore district. However, the police are yet to disclose their identities.

Police suspect that the trio is part of a bigger racket and the anti-corruption wing is currently interrogating them to extract further information in the matter.

It is learnt that the modus operandi of the functioning of the arrested trio was quite unique.

“Whenever they got information about any club or voluntary organisation organising blood donation camps, they used to approach the organisers and purchase donor cards from them at extremely low prices ranging from Rs 100 to Rs 150 for each card. Later, by furnishing that card, they used to collect one pouch of blood from the government blood banks free of cost. Thereafter, they sold the same blood at premium prices to family members of patients urgently requiring blood. The rarer the category of blood, the higher was the price,” a state police official said.

The three accused technicians used to share the money earned by selling blood among themselves. The investigators suspect that a big gang is involved. Therefore, they are also keeping an eye on various clubs and organisations that organise blood donation camps.

Earlier this month, the Calcutta High Court directed the state Health Department to quickly complete its ongoing probe against 11 private blood banks in the state accused of severe irregularities, including illegally selling blood and plasma to other states.

The Health Department had announced a ban on these 11 private banks from conducting blood donation camps anywhere in the state till further orders.

One of these 11 private banks approached the Calcutta High Court challenging the order, and the matter came up for hearing before a bench of Justice Krishna Rao, who did not interfere in the ongoing probe in the matter but set a timeline for the Health Department for the completion.

–IANS

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