Tamil Nadu Govt files chargesheet in 3 illegal kidney sale rackets; 12 accused named

Madurai: The Tamil Nadu government has filed the charge sheets in three criminal cases linked to the alleged illegal kidney sale racket in Namakkal district. According to a status report submitted by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) to the Madurai bench of Madras High Court, 12 individuals have been named as accused in connection with the case.

A division bench comprising Justice G. Jayachandran and Justice K. K. Ramakrishnan recorded the submission and subsequently closed the public interest litigation (PIL) that had brought the issue to light. The PIL was filed by S.N. Sathishwaran from Ramanathapuram district, who raised concerns over a noticeable increase in kidney transplant procedures across multiple hospitals in Tamil Nadu and flagged the potential for misuse in the absence of strict oversight.

According to a report by the Times of India, the petitioner argued that while kidney transplantation is a life-saving intervention for patients with end-stage renal disease, the surge in procedures had also given rise to apprehensions about illegal organ trade, including allegations of kidney theft and irregularities in transplant protocols. For the medical community, the case underscores the importance of strict adherence to the Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues Act, ethical donor screening, and transparent documentation processes to maintain public trust in transplant medicine.

The petitioner further alleged that Dhanalakshmi Srinivasan Medical College and Hospital and Cethar Hospital were found to have engaged in serious medical malpractices, including kidney theft, as part of the alleged trafficking network. He also claimed that the institutions implicated in the racket had links to political figures associated with the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK).

With the SIT having filed charge sheets against 12 accused persons and the High Court closing the PIL after taking the report on record, the matter now proceeds within the criminal justice system. For doctors and transplant teams across the state, the case serves as a reminder that, beyond surgical expertise, compliance with ethical norms, donor verification protocols, and statutory safeguards remains central to the credibility of organ transplantation practice.