Doctor, touts held for performing sex determination tests in Delhi clinic

A city doctor was arrested and the ultrasound machine sealed, after a joint raid by Delhi and Haryana government found that sex determination tests were being performed at a clinic in West Delhi’s Dwarka sector 12.

A city doctor was arrested and the ultrasound machine sealed, after a joint raid by Delhi and Haryana government found that sex determination tests were being performed at a clinic in West Delhi’s Dwarka sector 12.

Screengrab from YouTube

Two people were arrested and four detained, including the doctor and three touts. A woman and her mother-in-law, who were at the clinic for a test, were also held.

“Even the patients and their family members who are forcing them to get a test can be booked under the PC-PNDT Act,” said Dr DS Jaspal, part of the Haryana team and former vice-president of Indian Medical Association.

A team consisting of SDM Dwarka JB Kapil, nodal officer for PC-PNDT South-West district, Dr Samir Pandit and eight officials of the Haryana team sent in a decoy pregnant lady with the touts, who was able to undergo the sex determination test. This is in violation of the Pre-conception, Pre-natal Diagnostics Technique Act.

The team moved in while the test was being done, catching the doctor red-handed.

“This is an unusual case because the doctor was qualified and the machines were registered with the state PC-PNDT cell. The wife of the accused was also a qualified gynaecologist. Usually, the people are unqualified and the machines unregistered making it easier for them to get away with illegal testing,” Dr Jaspal.