Responding to the plea of victim’s parents, the Gujarat High Court on Monday allowed a teengaer rape victim to abort her eight-week foetus under proper medical care as per the provisions of Medical Terminology of Pregnancy Act.
The High Court Judge KJ Thaker also directed the police to take the 16-year-old to Ahmedabad based Civil Hospital situated in Sola area to submit required documents and reports for the termination of pregnancy.
The doctors are likely to initiate the process of termination of the rape victim’s pregnancy on Tuesday.
The parents of the victim came to know about her pregnancy when they took her to hospital earlier this month. Subsequently, they decided to file an application to the High Court. An FIR has also been filed with Sola police station pertaining to the rape case.
According to police sources, the girl was raped thrice by a youth in teh past three months which resulted into her pregnancy. The investigation official claimed that police have nabbed the accused and put him behind the bars.
As per the Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act, abortion can be done
under the supervision of single doctor panel within 12 weeks of pregnancy.
In August, in a first of its kind case in the medico-legal history of India, 25-week pregnancy of 14-year-old rape victim was terminated by a team of doctors at Ahmeabad Civil Hospital following the order of the apex court. The Supreme Court had deputed a five-member team of expert doctors to abort foetus.