However, according senior police inspector Ashok Gore Ali could not remember in which room he woke up to find his kidney removed without his knowledge. Express Newsline had reported of the kidney racket in which three accused were held last Thursday in Bhiwandi.

On Saturday, when the police visited the house of one of the accused Dr Tabrez Khaja Ahmed Khaja at Sector seven, Antop Hill it was locked. Dr Tabrez, not connected to the HN hospital, had reportedly gone to visit a sick relative atAllahabad.

Meanwhile, Sister Mary, the nurse who Ali says looked after him during his eight-month stay, is also absconding, said SPI Gore adding that there were two nurses called Mary employed with the H N hospital. "Both of them are on leave. After they resume duty, we shall check if Ali can identify either of them," he said. Sub-inspector P M Kadam informed that Lalya, who was accused of brokering the deal, now says that Ali has made up the whole story.

According to Lalya Ali had donated his kidney to the Syrian national expecting monetary gains and the transplant was performed in Ranchi, Bihar.

"Ali felt he had not been given enough money in return, so he came to Mumbai on his own and complained about the "racket" Lalya says. Lalya also claims that he, as an `agent' only handed over Ali to Dr Tabrez and he is not concerned with what happened later. Quamar Alam Ashraf Ali Shaikh, a third accused in the police custody, was the agent for the kidney recipient - a Syrian national called Naresh who hassince returned to his country,'' Kadam said.

Although he refused to comment any further, Dr P M Bhujang, medical director of H N Hospital, did not rule out the possibility that Ali could have been admitted in the hospital for post-operative care. Medical records at the hospital are still to be checked by the hospital authorities.