A detailed examination of the blood seized by the authorities frpm the Umrai Hospital revealed that poor quality blood with extremely low levels of haemoglobin was being supplied to patients.

Over a period of two years, 100,000 units of the contaminated blood were sold.

The blood seized by police with fake labels of the state's largest blood bank at the King George's Medical College (KGMC) was sent for detailed examination to the SGPGIMS.

Lucknow Superintendent of Police (City) Paresh Pandey, who busted the racket, initially said he suspected animal blood was being mixed with human blood. Later, it was found that the blood was being diluted with saline water.

The gang would buy blood from professional donors like drug addicts, rickshaw-pullers and beggars, and would mix it with saline water to make three units from one unit of blood, police said. This was sold at Rs.1,000-1,500 per unit.