Desai & Diwanji undertook on a pro bono basis the representation of Mr. Arvind Singh (through his constituted attorney and his wife, Mrs. Sharda Singh) a 37-year-old patient battling acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) at Nanavati Max Super Speciality Hospital, in an urgent plea before the Hon’ble Bombay High Court.

Mr. Singh’s condition was critically deteriorating, and doctors had advised an immediate liver transplant as the only life-saving option. Since none of the immediate family members were medically suitable to donate, Master Divyansh Raju Singh, the patient’s 17-year-old minor nephew, voluntarily offered to donate part of his liver. He was found medically fit by the hospital to act as a donor. Under the Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues Act, 1994, the statutory provision governing the transplantations in the country, a minor as well as a person who is not a “near relative” cannot donate without prior approvals.

On October 28, 2025, an application was submitted to the Authorising Committee constituted under the Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues Act, 1994, seeking such approval under Section 9(1-B) and Section 9(3) of the Act read with Rule 5(3)(g) of the Rules framed thereunder, to permit the minor donor to donate to his uncle. As the minor also did not fall within the statutory definition of “near relative,” an additional approval from the authorities was also required for such a transplant.

Given the life-threatening urgency and the procedural delays in receiving approval from the Authorising Committee, our firm also simultaneously filed a Writ Petition before the Hon’ble Bombay High Court, seeking immediate directions to the authorities to grant the necessary approvals to enable the transplant without any delay.

While the Authorising Committee initially rejected to grant such permissions, upon adequate representations by Counsel Nimay Dave and the Desai Diwanji team consisting of Senior Partner Anoj Menon, Associate Partner Sonali Mehta and Associate Hita Chandarana, the Hon’ble Bombay High Court directed the Appellate Authority to convene immediately and consider the Application within 24 Hours. Ultimately, on 04 November 2025, the Appellate Authority via their legal counsel appeared before the Hon’ble Bombay High Court and granted the permission “as a special and rare case limited only specific for this case”

Our firm as well as Counsel Nimay Dave has taken up this matter pro bono purely in the interest of justice and humanity, to ensure that no procedural hurdles come in the way.