1. On August 20, 2025, the Madras High Court, Madurai Bench, summarily asked Tamil Nadu’s Health Secretary and Director of Medical & Rural Health Services to file a detailed status report on steps taken against illicit kidney trade.
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2. The direction stems from a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by advocate S.N. Sathishwaran (Ramanathapuram), who requested a CBI probe into forced organ sales. The petition alleged laborers from Pallipalayam, Namakkal, were coerced into selling kidneys for ₹5–10 lakh, only to receive much less.
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3. The court bench—Justice S.M. Subramaniam and Justice G. Arul Murugan—implemented (suo motu) the inclusion of the Health Secretary and medical director as respondents in the case, ordering them to file the report. The hearing is set to resume on August 21.
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4. Earlier this year, a probe by the TN Health Systems Reform Programme, led by Dr. S. Vineeth, uncovered serious irregularities. As a result, the government revoked kidney transplant licences for Dhanalakshmi Srinivasan Medical College (Perambalur) and Cethar Hospital (Trichy). Allegations included forged donor documents and collusion with brokers.
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5. Investigations by the Health Department revealed that impoverished workers in Namakkal, including women from powerloom and dyeing mills, were misled into organ donations. Some received only a fraction of promised payments. At least one worker recounted earning ₹6.5 lakh after a kidney transplant, hinting at financial coercion.
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6. The High Court expressed shock at the state of affairs, calling organ theft a gross violation of the Right to Life, stressing the government’s duty to shield vulnerable citizens from exploitation.
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7. This escalation—from the PIL, to licence suspensions and HC directives—signals a broader push for accountability in Tamil Nadu’s transplant system. The impending report could pave the way for a court-monitored inquiry or CBI-led probe.
