Woman doctor held for illegal abortion in Gurgaon

The health department officials conducted a search at a private clinic in Patel Nagar on Wednesday and nabbed a woman doctor on charges of illegal termination of pregnancy.

The health department officials conducted a search at a private clinic in Patel Nagar on Wednesday and nabbed a woman doctor on charges of illegal termination of pregnancy.

Dr Sunita Pawar being questioned by a team of health officials in Gurgaon on Wednesday. (HT Photo)

The arrest was made a day after two people, including a lady gynaecologist, were apprehended during a similar raid by health officials for conducting illegal abortion at a private clinic in Rajiv Nagar on Tuesday.

The officials identified the accused as Dr Sunita Pawar, a doctor who runs Sanjeevani Clinic, a private health centre. A sum of Rs 2,000 was also recovered from her. The team that conducted the raid included deputy civil surgeon Dr Saryu Sharma, drug controls officer Amandeep Chauhan and Red Cross Society district secretary Shyam Sunder. Sunder said they conducted the raid based on a tip-off.

“A decoy patient was sent to the accused doctor who agreed to perform the abortion for a cost of Rs 2,000. Sunita then gave multiple abortion kits and medicine to the decoy,” Sunder said.

The team then conducted a raid at the clinic and seized several documents, an ultrasound machine and abortion kits from the clinic. On assessing the documents, it was found that several people had undergone illegal abortions at the clinic.

Since the accused could not produce any license or certificate under Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act, her statements were recorded and she was sent to police custody.

A case has been registered against the doctor under the Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (PCPNDT) Act, 1994; Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act, 1971 and Sections of the Indian Penal Code at the Civil Lines police station.

Health department officials had conducted a similar raid at a private clinic in Rajiv Nagar, and apprehended two people, namely Dr Vijay Kumar Sharma and Dr Sonam Sharma, on Tuesday.