PCPNDT Violation: Radiologist sentenced to 3 years jail for conducting sex determination tests

The co-accused in the case, a gynaecologist had taken Rs 9,000 from the couple and sent them to the radiologist's clinic for sex determination test.

Pune: A doctor accused of conducting pre-natal sex-determination tests, has recently been sentenced to three-year rigorous imprisonment and slapped a fine of Rs 10,000 by the court.

The case surfaced in the year 2011 where a Pune based radiologist and Gynaecologist were found involved in violating Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Tests (PCPNDT) Act.

PTI reports that both the doctors were exposed after a couple, who was sent to the Gynaecologist as a decoy, conducted a sting operation in 2011.

The Gynaecologist had taken Rs 9,000 from the couple and sent them to the radiologist's clinic for sex determination test.

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City-based activists from social organisations Tathapi and Janwadi Mahila Sanghatana had found that a sonography centre and a medical termination of pregnancy (MTP) centre at a hospital in the area were conducting sex-determination tests.

Primary investigations conducted by the state family welfare department and the municipal corporation found that the doctors had been conducting sex-determination tests and abortions for a long time, reports TOI.

Mirror reports about the order which states that the radiologist is convicted vide section 248 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) for an offence punishable under the PCPNDT Act, 1994, and its amendment Act of 2002. "The accused shall undergo RI for three years each for the offences punishable under section 23 (for prenatal gender screening) of the PCPNDT Act. The accused shall pay a fine of Rs 10,000 for total breach of the above said sections and rules. In case of default in payment of fine, she shall undergo simple imprisonment for five months,” the order added.

"A strong case was made out against both the doctors and there was a strong circumstantial as well as electronic evidence. The court convicted the radiologist and sentenced her to three years rigorous imprisonment and also fined her Rs 10,000," Chief Legal Officer of Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) Manjusha Idhate informed PTI.

The other accused Gynaecologist had died during the trial, adds the news agency.

"The conviction will send a stern and strong message to those from the medical fraternity who are involved in such activities," Idhate stated.

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Earlier, Medical Dialogues had reported that hospital run by two Homeopathy practitioners, was raided by the officials of the Health Department on the suspicion of illegal sex determination and MTP procedures racket.

The officials seized a sonography machine and initiated an investigation after filing a complaint in the local court under the Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (Regulation and Prevention of Misuse) Act.

Read Also: Violation of PNDT Act: Hospital under scanner for Illegal sex determination, MTP procedures