The report stated that enforcement of the Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues Act, 1994, is being strengthened to prevent exploitation and illegal trade.
Published Aug 22, 2025 | 2:06 PM ⚊ Updated Aug 22, 2025 | 2:06 PM
Illegal kidney transplant. Representative image. (iStock)
Synopsis: The Tamil Nadu government assured the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court that strict measures are being implemented to curb illegal organ transplants in the state. The case was heard in response to a public interest litigation which alleged that kidney transplants had risen significantly in Tamil Nadu and that illegal practices, including kidney theft, were rampant.
The Tamil Nadu government on Thursday, 21 August, submitted a status-cum-action taken report to the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court, assuring that strict measures are being implemented to curb illegal organ transplants in the state.
The report stated that enforcement of the Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues Act, 1994, is being strengthened to prevent exploitation and illegal trade.
According to Dr DK Chitra, Director of the Directorate of Medical and Rural Health Services, the issue surfaced after media reports on 17 July revealed irregularities in kidney transplants. Following this, a complaint was registered in Pallipalayam, and an inquiry was conducted by the Tamil Nadu Health Systems Project.
The probe led to the suspension of transplant licences granted to Dhanalakshmi Srinivasan Medical College and Hospital, Perambalur, and Cethar Hospital, Tiruchirappalli, under Section 16(2) of the Act. Investigators discovered forged certificates claiming a false relationship between donors and recipients. It was also found that brokers arranged donors for money, and action was recommended against two of them, Anandan and Stanley Mohan.
As part of its corrective measures, the government has proposed restructuring the district-level authorisation committees along with the formation of a new state-level authorisation committee to ensure greater accountability and oversight in the approval of organ transplants. The move is intended to bring uniformity and transparency in the functioning of these bodies.
The report also recommended the adoption of stricter Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to improve verification processes, as well as disciplinary action against officials who cleared transplant cases without proper scrutiny of documents. In addition, the government plans to launch awareness campaigns to educate the public that selling organs under the guise of donation is both illegal and punishable by law.
The case was heard in response to a public interest litigation filed by SN Sathishwaran of Paramakudi in the Ramanathapuram district. He alleged that kidney transplants had risen significantly in Tamil Nadu and that illegal practices, including kidney theft, were rampant.
The petitioner also claimed that the two hospitals involved were linked to political figures from the ruling DMK. He pointed to videos from Pallipalayam and nearby areas, in which victims admitted they were lured into selling their kidneys for amounts ranging between ₹5 lakh and ₹10 lakh, but ultimately received much less. Sathishwaran has sought a CBI investigation into the matter.
The Division Bench comprising Justices SM Subramaniam and G Arul Murugan posted the matter for further hearing on 25 August.
The scandal came to light when a woman from Namakkal released a viral video stating that she had sold her kidney for ₹5 lakh through a middleman.
This prompted inspections in Pallipalayam, where officials identified six suspected donors. One of them was already admitted to a private hospital for surgery, and his testimony was recorded. Authorities are still tracing other potential victims.
In response, the Health Department temporarily suspended transplant licences of the two hospitals after an interim inquiry led by Dr. S. Vineeth, Director of the Tamil Nadu Health Systems Project, along with senior health and police officials.
The inspections confirmed irregularities in transplant approvals.
Soon after the issue became mainstream, it snowballed into a political controversy that triggered sharp responses. AIADMK General Secretary and Leader of Opposition in Tamil Nadu Assembly Edappadi K Palaniswami linked the two hospitals to Manachanallur DMK MLA Kathiravan, accusing the ruling party of shielding those behind the racket.
“You trusted and voted for them, and now organs are being taken away from poor people. This is not our claim alone; the DMK government’s own statement confirms that kidney smuggling is happening in hospitals run by their men,” he said.
AIADMK spokesperson Kovai Sathyan alleged that a well-organised network was operating under political protection. Similarly, former BJP state president K Annamalai demanded a special investigation team (SIT), stating that the scale of the racket indicated the involvement of influential figures. He warned that the findings so far may represent only “the tip of the iceberg”.
Health officials also reported that all treatments except dialysis have been suspended at one private hospital in Erode, while a show-cause notice was issued to another hospital in Tiruchirappalli. Enquiries are ongoing in Perambalur and Thanjavur as part of the wider probe. Investigators are still searching for a key middleman believed to have coordinated the illegal transplants.
While Tamil Nadu continues to be recognised for its robust transplant ecosystem — recording 1,796 kidney transplants in 2024, the second-highest in India — the Namakkal case has underscored serious gaps in regulation and donor welfare. Data from TRANSTAN (Transplant Authority Government of Tamil Nadu) shows that more than 6,000 patients remain on waiting lists, with the highest demand for O and B blood groups.
Experts caution that without stronger safeguards and post-operative support for donors, the state’s celebrated model risks being overshadowed by systemic lapses and the persistence of illegal organ trade.
(Edited by Muhammed Fazil.)
