Bengal Blood Scam: Medical Students Questioned Over Smuggling and Illegal Sales
West Bengal’s State Health Department has summoned and questioned fourth-year medical students from Kolkata in connection with an expanding investigation into an alleged blood smuggling and illegal selling racket. The inquiry, handled at the department headquarters at Swastha Bhawan, has uncovered illegal donor incentives, unauthorized commercial blood distribution, and cross-border transport of blood and plasma units.
What Happened
On Wednesday, August 26, at least four fourth-year students representing the National Medical College and Nil Ratan Sircar Medical College appeared before a committee at Swastha Bhawan. According to officials and departmental sources, senior medical students entered arrangements with private blood banks to facilitate the operation in exchange for financial commissions. These students reportedly posed as qualified doctors at medical and blood donation camps to enable the collection drive.
Law enforcement actions have widened alongside the administrative probe. The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) arrested three laboratory technicians in Panskura, located in the Purba Medinipur district. Prior to these arrests, police detained a tout accused of acquiring blood donor cards from local clubs for ₹100 to ₹150 each. The operative then collected free blood from banks using those cards and sold it to patients’ families for ₹1,500 to ₹2,000 per unit, sharing the proceeds among various intermediaries.
Key Highlights
- Student Questioning: At least four students from Nil Ratan Sircar Medical College and National Medical College were questioned by health officials.
- Arrests Made: The Anti-Corruption Bureau arrested three lab technicians from Panskura, while police previously apprehended an intermediary running a donor-card resale scheme.
- Policy Violations: The racket violated the National Blood Policy of 2002 by paying donors incentives and commercially trading blood and plasma.
- Scale of Probe: Authorities are examining an alleged multi-state network suspected to be worth crores, with multiple blood banks raided and at least six facilities under official scrutiny.
Why This Matters
The commercial trade and incentivization of blood donations stand strictly prohibited under India’s National Blood Policy, introduced in 2002. According to department findings, blood camps in various districts offered incentives to donors, after which collected units of blood and plasma were allegedly smuggled out of West Bengal to other states. With at least six blood banks under official investigation and 11 directed to halt organizing donation activities, the inquiry addresses significant regulatory breaches within the healthcare infrastructure.
What to Watch Next
State Health Minister Dr. Sharadwat Mukherjee confirmed that departmental officials are continuing their scrutiny into document mismatches across multiple locations. Due to an ongoing court case related to the matter, official commentary remains restricted while state authorities pursue the multi-state dimensions of the case.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why were medical students summoned by Swastha Bhawan?
At least four fourth-year students from two Kolkata medical colleges were questioned over allegations that they posed as doctors during donation camps to assist an illegal blood distribution network in exchange for commissions.
What arrests have occurred in this case?
The Anti-Corruption Bureau arrested three laboratory technicians from Panskura in Purba Medinipur, following the earlier arrest of a tout by police for trading donor cards and selling blood units.
What laws govern the commercial sale of blood in India?
The National Blood Policy of 2002 explicitly prohibits the commercial sale of blood and bars the provision of financial incentives to blood donors.
Source: The Hindu