Gurgaon babus in dock for female foeticide

The Administrative inquiry into the recovery of several female foetuses from a septic tank of Beaulla Nursing Home in Gurgaon in June 2007 has indicated “possible collusion” of medical authorities with the “perpetrator of the crime”. Pawan Sharma reports.

The Administrative inquiry into the recovery of several female foetuses from a septic tank of Beaulla Nursing Home in Gurgaon in June 2007 has indicated “possible collusion” of medical authorities with the “perpetrator of the crime”.

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The inquiry conducted by Commissioner of Gurgaon Division D.P.S. Nagal on the directions of the Punjab and Haryana High Court has also pointed out "total apathy” on the part of medical authorities entrusted to enforce the provisions of the Pre-Conception and Pre-natal Diagnostic Techniques (prohibition of sex selection) Act as well as lack of the required level of sensitivity and responsibility.

The inquiry has held that the sequence of events “points towards lack of responsibility” on the part of Dr D.V. Saharan, then Civil Surgeon, Gurgaon, Dr S.S. Dalal, Civil Surgeon, Gurgaon, Dr M.D. Sharma, then DFWO Gurgaon and Dr Jai Narain, then SMO, CHC, Pataudi.

While ordering the administrative inquiry in October 2008, the Division Bench of Chief Justice T.S. Thakur had directed that the report in particular would deal with lapses on the part of any officer/officials directly concerned in this district, leading to this incident.

As per the report, the state government has slapped chargesheets on Dr M.D. Sharma, District Family Welfare Officer, and Dr Jai Narain, SMO, CHC, Pataudi, apart from initiating departmental action against them. Besides, the explanation of then civil surgeon Dr D.V. Saharan has also been called.

The Gurgaon Commissioner has submitted that he examined 17 witnesses and officials, including eight doctors and recorded their statements.

In Haryana, in order to monitor and implement the PC and PNDT Act, a state-level and a district-level committee existed. Dr A.K. Singh and his wife Beaulla (absconding) were running the clinic from a residential house in Dhara colony, Pataudi of Gurgaon district.

“This Nursing Home,” the report says, “was never inspected by any of the medical authorities till it was finally inspected by the raiding party on June 13, 2007.”

The Commissioner has also brought to the fore that, at the state level, the Health Department did not judge the seriousness of the complaint properly and took 10 months to investigate the complaint.

The first complaint dated July 20, 2006 against the nursing home was addressed to the Health Minister and was sent to the Director General Health Services, Haryana, for necessary action.

“But the raid was conducted on June 13, 2007.…The health department at the state level took 10 months to investigate the complaint under the PC and PNDT Act.”

The inquiry report highlights how the medical authorities kept on sitting on another November 24, 2006, complaint of Jagdish Chand.

The report pointed out that the accused Dr A.K. Singh carried out this illegal activity of foeticide “without any valid qualification, permission, or perhaps, on a suspect educational degree...”.