Police say Pramanik is male, doctors contest claim

Sharp differences emerged between the police and members of the medical board after the former submitted a chargesheet declaring Pinki Pramanik as a male and proceeding to accuse the person of raping a woman. Subhendu Maiti reports.Pinki charged with rape

Sharp differences emerged between the police and members of the medical board after the former submitted a chargesheet declaring decorated athlete Pinki Pramanik as being a male and proceeding to accuse the person of raping a woman while the doctors told HT Pramanik was not a male but a “male pseudo hermaphrodite”.

On June 14, a 32 year-old woman lodged a complaint with the Baguihati police here against Pramanik, saying ‘he’ had raped her with the promise of marriage.

Pramanik had also grabbed her properties, the woman alleged in the complaint, on the basis of which Pramanik was arrested and produced before a court the same day.

A gender determination test followed.

Pramanik told HT, “The chargesheet is incorrect. The medical report is different.”

Defending the police version Shantomay Basu, additional public prosecutor said, “The medical board that examined Pinki Pramanik declared Pramanik as being a male having the ability to rape. The police have filed the chargesheet in this regard.”

Members of the medical board told HT they differed with the police.

“Pinki is neither a male nor a female. Pramanik is a male pseudo hermaphrodite. It is genetic disorder. That’s the medical opinion. It’s now for the court to deliberate,” Dr BN Kahali, board chairman, said.