Pune, May 24, 2025: In a sensational twist to the Kalyaninagar car accident case, it has now emerged that one of the key accused, Dr. Ajay Taware, is also allegedly involved in a large-scale kidney transplant racket operating through private hospitals in the city. Pune Police Commissioner Amitesh Kumar confirmed that Dr. Taware’s role in the illegal organ trade has come to light following an inquiry, and he will be made a co-accused in the case.
Dr. Taware, who is currently in judicial custody and lodged at Yerwada Jail for his alleged role in tampering with evidence in the Kalyaninagar accident case, now finds himself at the centre of another major controversy. A separate complaint regarding the kidney racket had been registered earlier at the Koregaon Park police station. According to officials, this organ trade network had been under scrutiny for months, leading to the formation of a high-level inquiry committee.
The probe, conducted by a panel comprising retired judges, submitted its report to the state government, establishing Dr. Taware’s connection to the illegal racket. Police Commissioner Kumar said, “The investigation has confirmed Dr. Taware’s involvement. He will now be formally made a co-accused in the kidney racket case.”
The complaint, filed by Dr. Sanjog Sitaram Kadam, Deputy Director of the Health Services Board, had named 15 individuals. The accused include a doctor from a reputed private hospital, a kidney donor, a broker, and the transplant recipient. The allegations suggest a well-organised nexus aimed at exploiting patients in desperate need of kidney transplants.
The racket first surfaced when police received a tip-off about financial irregularities during a transplant procedure. As the investigation deepened, it exposed a broader network of corruption. During a review of the old case documents related to the Kalyaninagar accident and other ongoing probes, police found that Dr. Taware had attempted to distance himself from the transplant case. However, further examination of records from the Koregaon Park police station revealed that he had played a pivotal role in facilitating the illegal surgeries.
Notably, Dr. Taware held the position of chairman of the eight-member transplant committee that oversaw and approved organ transplants. Sources suggest that this position may have been misused to approve unethical or illegal transplants by manipulating paperwork and bypassing norms.
