Kolkata, February 13 In a bizarre turn of events, a school teacher and social worker who arranged the donation of his deceased mother's cornea was arrested and spent three days in jail on charges of selling her body parts, before being granted bail by a court here, officials said on Friday.
Amir Chand Sheikh, who was released on bail after documents were presented to the Krishnanagar court showing the donation of his mother's cornea to a government hospital and her pledge to donate her eyes after death, rejoined his work on Friday as a booth-level officer (BLO) for the ongoing SIR (Statistical Information and Records) of electoral rolls in West Bengal.
Police claimed that he was arrested on a complaint by certain people that he was selling body parts of his mother, Rabeya Sheikh, who died on February 8.
Amir Chand, who was arrested along with four other family members, including his wife, claimed that he was the victim of a conspiracy to malign him and his family.
All of them were granted bail on a bond of Rs 2,000 each by the Krishnanagar court on Thursday.
Following his release, Amir Chand said, "The cornea donation was done as per my mother's wish."
Stating that his mother was illiterate, he said that when she went for a cataract operation, she saw photos of eye donation at the hospital and expressed her desire to donate her eyes upon learning that her cornea could give eyesight to up to six visually impaired persons.
"When I learnt of my mother's decision, I was very proud as I work in this field as a social worker," he said.
"When many educated people do not understand the importance of eye donation, my mother, being illiterate, decided to do so," he added.
His homemaker wife, breaking down in tears, said after being released on bail that she wants justice for their ordeal.