KATHMANDU: Six individuals accused of trafficking the kidneys of poor and Dalit Nepalis to India have been sent to jail for further investigation.

The Kathmandu District Court on Sunday ordered their remand in judicial custody pending trial.

Among those sent to prison is 37-year-old Shyam Krishna Bhandari from Sunkoshi Rural Municipality-7 in Sindhupalchok, who, according to the Anti-Human Trafficking Bureau, is the alleged ringleader of a kidney trafficking network operating from Delhi.

The other accused are Sujan Bharti (35) of Indrawati Rural Municipality-2, Sindhupalchok; Raj Kumar Pariyar (35) of Panchkhal Municipality-10, Kavre; Samir Nepali (24) of Belkotgadhi Municipality-9, Nuwakot; Rakesh Nepali (47) of Belkotgadhi Municipality-4; and Raju Ghalan (43) of Chandrapur Municipality-3, Rautahat.

According to police investigations, the group lured vulnerable Nepalis to India with false promises of lucrative jobs and salaries.

Once there, the victims were subjected to medical tests, and their kidneys were removed before being sent back to Nepal.

“Some of the victims were paid partial compensation, while others received nothing,” said Police Spokesperson Superintendent Narendra Kunwar.

The suspects were arrested in July and August during an operation led by the Anti-Human Trafficking Bureau.

While Pariyar, Bharati, Rakesh Nepali, Samir Nepali, and Ghalan were initially held in custody, they had fled during the Gen Z movement protests.

The Bureau rearrested them on October 9, and all six have now been remanded to prison for trial.