**Executive Summary**
This document is the response from the Minister of State in the Ministry of Home Affairs to Unstarred Question No. 1457 in the Lok Sabha, to be answered on December 9, 2025, regarding human organ trafficking. The response details the NIA's registration of a case related to organ smuggling to Iran, provides statistics on human trafficking for organ removal, and outlines measures to combat human trafficking.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **NIA Investigation:**
* The NIA registered one case on 03.07.2024 related to the smuggling of human organs to Iran.
* Five identified victims traveled to Iran on tourist visas for transplantation in Tehran hospitals.
* The victims were lured with financial benefits.
* A charge sheet was filed against four arrested accused persons, and the case is under further investigation.
* **Human Trafficking Statistics:**
* The NCRB (National Crime Records Bureau) compiles and publishes crime statistics.
* Victims trafficked for the purpose of removal of organs and rescued:
* 2019: 4
* 2020: 0
* 2021: 6
* 2022: 17
* 2023: 5
* **Government Measures to Combat Human Trafficking:**
* The primary responsibility for preventing and combating human trafficking lies with the State Governments.
* The Government of India employs a multi-pronged approach:
* Supplementing State/UT efforts with guidelines on preventing and countering human trafficking.
* Providing financial assistance to States and Union Territories for upgrading and setting up Anti Human Trafficking Units.
* Assisting States and Union Territories in holding ‘State level conferences' and ‘Judicial Colloquiums' to raise awareness.
* Empowering the NIA through the NIA (Amendment) Act, 2019, to investigate scheduled offences involving Indian citizens or interests committed outside India.
* Expanding the NIA's mandate to investigate human trafficking offences and creating the Anti Human Trafficking Division (AHTD) within the NIA.
* Implementing the ‘Shakti Sadan Scheme' by the Ministry of Women and Child Development, providing relief and rehabilitation for trafficked women, with 407 ‘Shakti Sadans' functional nationwide.
**Impact Analysis**
**State Governments**
* **Impact:** State governments are primarily responsible for preventing and combating human trafficking.
* **Action Required:** Implement the central governments' guidelines, upgrade and set up Anti Human Trafficking Units and sensitize latest initiatives/developments for effectively addressing the issue of human trafficking
**Union Territories**
* **Impact:** Union Territories are also responsible for preventing and combating human trafficking.
* **Action Required:** Implement the central governments' guidelines, upgrade and set up Anti Human Trafficking Units and sensitize latest initiatives/developments for effectively addressing the issue of human trafficking
**National Investigation Agency (NIA)**
* **Impact:** The NIA is empowered to investigate scheduled offenses involving Indian citizens or Indian interests committed outside India and human trafficking offenses.
* **Action Required:** Utilize expanded mandate and Anti Human Trafficking Division (AHTD) to investigate human trafficking cases.
**Ministry of Women and Child Development**
* **Impact:** Responsible for providing relief and rehabilitation to trafficked women through the ‘Shakti Sadan Scheme'.
* **Action Required:** Maintain and support the ‘Shakti Sadan Scheme’ and ensure adequate resources for the rehabilitation of trafficked women.
Key Entities Referenced
National Investigation Agency (NIA): The primary agency investigating the reported human organ trafficking case and related cases.
NIA (Amendment) Act, 2019: Act that empowers the NIA to investigate scheduled offences involving Indian citizens or Indian interests that are committed outside India.
Iran: Location where victims were trafficked for organ transplantation.
Shakti Sadan Scheme: Scheme by Ministry of Women and Child Development providing integrated relief and rehabilitation for trafficked women.
IPC: The charge sheet was filed against accused persons under various sections of IPC
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1457
TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 9TH DECEMBER, 2025/ AGRAHAYANA 18, 1947
(SAKA)
HUMAN ORGAN TRAFFICKING
1457. SHRI K C VENUGOPAL:
ADV. SHRI DEAN KURIAKOSE:
Will the Minister of HOME AFFAIRS be pleased to state:
(a) whether the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has registered cases
relating to organised transnational human trafficking rackets to Iran;
(b) if so, the full details thereof, including the number of identified victims
trafficked, the modus operandi and the current status of investigation;
(c) the number of similar/related cases registered by NIA across the
country during the last five years, State-wise;
(d) whether there is an alarming increase in instances of human trafficking
specifically for organ smuggling purposes; and
(e) if so, the concrete measures initiated or proposed to combat this
menace?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS
(SHRI NITYANAND RAI)
(a) to (c): Yes, the NIA has registered one case relating to smuggling of
human organs on 03.07.2024, in which 05 identified victims had travelled
to Iran on tourist visa; and the transplantation happened in hospitals in
Tehran, Iran. These donors were lured in lieu of pecuniary benefits.-2-
L.S.US.Q.NO. 1457 FOR 09.12.2025
Charge sheet was filed in this case against 04 arrested accused persons
under various sections of IPC. Case is currently under further
investigation.
(d): The NCRB compiles and publishes crime statistics reported by the
States and Union Territories. As per the latest published data, number of
victims, trafficked for purpose of removal of organs and rescued during
2019 to 2023 is as under:
Year Number of victims, trafficked for purpose
of removal of organs and rescued
2019 4
2020 0
2021 6
2022 17
2023 5
(e): ‘Police’ and ‘Public Order’ being State subjects under the Seventh
Schedule to the Constitution of India, the primary responsibility for
preventing and combating the crime of human trafficking lies with the
State Governments. However, the Government of India has adopted a
multi-pronged approach to combat human trafficking, which includes :-
• Supplementing the efforts of the States/UTs by providing them
guidelines on preventing and countering Human Trafficking in the
form of various comprehensive Advisories issued from time to time.-3-
L.S.US.Q.NO. 1457 FOR 09.12.2025
• Providing financial assistance to States and Union Territories for
upgrading and setting up Anti Human Trafficking Units.
• Assisting States and Union Territories in holding ‘State level
conferences’ and ‘Judicial Colloquiums’ on a periodic basis, with a
view of sensitizing about the latest initiatives/developments for
effectively addressing the issue of human trafficking.
• The Government has empowered the NIA through ‘NIA (Amendment)
Act, 2019’, to investigate scheduled offences involving Indian citizens
or Indian interests that are committed outside India.
• Further, the mandate of NIA has been expanded to investigate
offences related to Human Trafficking. For this purpose, an Exclusive
Division, namely the ‘Anti Human Trafficking Division (AHTD)’, has
also been created in the set up of NIA.
• Implementation of ‘Shakti Sadan Scheme’ by Ministry of Women and
Child Development, which provides an integrated relief and
rehabilitation home for women in distress situations including
trafficked women. At present, 407 ‘Shakti Sadans’ are functional
throughout the country.
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