Pregnant woman takes hubby to court

A pregnant woman dragged husband to court when she discovered her HIV positive status. The husband, however, turned out to be HIV-negative.

Five-month pregnant, Anusya Khanna (name changed) knew her life was about to change — drastically. It did. But not in the way she had anticipated or could have anticipated.
 
During a routine medical check-up at Delhi’s Army hospital, she discovered that she was HIV-positive and her unborn child was also infected.

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Claiming that it was her husband Ajay Khanna (name changed) who transmitted the AIDS-causing virus to her, she filed a case of cheating against him. The case reached a sessions court that ordered a medical test for the husband.

But the bigger shock was yet to come. The All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) conducted the tests and found Ajay had no such infection. He was HIV-negative. The court on Tuesday received the medical report but is yet to react on the findings.

Anusya’s counsel Inderjeet Singh, however, claimed that the defence might have used influence to tamper with the report.

Anusya had alleged in the FIR that her husband knew he was HIV-positive yet induced her for marriage. She accused him of spoiling her and her child’s life.

Anusya also accused members of Ajay’s family of concealing “facts” from her. She has alleged that Ajay’s family harassed and tortured her for dowry. The court will now hear the matter on January 3, 2007.

The accused had repeatedly denied the allegations. To ascertain fact, Additional Sessions Judge Swarn Kanta on November 10 directed AIIMS to constitute a medical board to examine Ajay and asked for the report to be sent directly to the court in a sealed cover.

AIIMS, in its report, a copy of which is available with the Hindustan Times, said that on November 25, the medical board examined the accused in the presence of a sub-inspector and found him to be HIV-negative.

As per the FIR lodged in Delhi Cantt police station on November 3, 2004, the complainant was suffering from thrombocytopenia (reduced platelet count) during her pregnancy, and the reason for the ailment was found to be HIV infection.

Anusya then called her husband to get him examined. The accused, says the FIR, refused to get himself examined at that time.

E-mail author: naziya.alvi@hindustantimes.com