E-Paper
Kharar: Private hospital’s doctor held for conducting sex determination test
The accused were identified as Dr Sarabjit Kaur, lab technician Rajinder Singh and his wife Sunita; their arrest came on the complaint of Dr Nidhi Kaushal, district family welfare officer, Mohali
Police have arrested three people, including a gynaecologist, for conducting prenatal sex determination test at Sukh Seva Hospital in Sunny Enclave, Kharar.
The accused were identified as Dr Sarabjit Kaur, lab technician Rajinder Singh and his wife Sunita.
Their arrest came on the complaint of Dr Nidhi Kaushal, district family welfare officer (DFWO), Mohali.
Dr Kaushal alleged that she, along with the state PC-PNDT and Mohali health department teams, raided the private hospital on September 14.
The team sent a decoy customer, Kavita of Haibowal, Ludhiana, with marked currency notes. When Kavita sought to know the gender of the foetus, Rajinder took her to Dr Sarabjit for a sex determination test.
Police said Dr Sarabjit conducted the test, following which Kavita informed the health teams that alerted the police. Cops responded to the scene and arrested Dr Sarabjit, Rajinder and his wife.
All three were booked under Sections 420 (cheating) and 120-B (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code, and under relevant sections of the Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (Regulation and Prevention of Misuse) Act at the City Kharar police station.
According to the Act, it is forbidden to employ any method to determine a foetus’s gender after conception. Contravention of any of provisions of the Act are punishable with imprisonment for a term up to three years with fine up to ₹1,000. Imprisonment may extend to five years in case of subsequent convictions, along with fine up to ₹50,000.
The State Medical Council concerned will also de-register the medical practitioner for five years for the first offence and permanently for the subsequent offence.
