PNDT Raid: Two Gynecologists, agent arrested for sex determination

Jaipur: The Pre-Conception Pre-Natal Diagnostic Technique (PCPNDT) cell unit has arrested two gynecologists and one agent after they were caught red-handed performing sex determination tests during a sting operation.

State’s appropriate authority (PCPNDT) Navin Jain told the TOI that two simultaneous decoy operations were conducted after which they arrested a doctor, who is MD in gynecology, Dr Bharat Bhai Kuber Patel, who works in Shradha Hospital. Another gynecologist was simultaneously caught from Jeevandeep Hospital.

The appropriate authority began conducting sting operations in the Banswara and Dungarpur after noticing the falling sex ratio in the two areas. Probing the matter, they received a tip-off about an agent who operated in the area for sex determination. The authorities them took the help of a pregnant decoy patient and sent the women to Gujarat’s Santrampur area of Mahisagar district for identifying the sex of the fetus.

A PCPNDT cell official told TOI, “We came to know that the agent who is active in the area take pregnant women to Gujarat’s Santrampur area of Mahisagar district for sex determination of the baby in the womb.”

The authorities informed the daily that following a sting they have arrested a doctor, who is MD in gynecology, Dr Bharat Bhai Kuber Patel, who works in Shradha Hospital. Another team of PCPNDT went to Jeevandeep Hospital and arrested Dr Jabra Bhai Padria, a gynaecologist and his wife Kamla Ben.

Jain alleged that the team has also recovered the money from their possession which was given to them for conducting sex determination test.

The three have been arrested by the PCPNDT officials and would be presented before the court on Thursday.

Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (PCPNDT) Act, 1994 is an Act of the Parliament of India enacted to stop female foeticides and arrest the declining sex ratio in India. The act banned prenatal sex determination.