Illegal sex determination racket: Former IMA Maha President sent to judicial custody

Pune: A 68-year-old former president of the Indian Medical Association (IMA) Maharashtra chapter has been remanded to judicial custody in connection with an alleged illegal sex determination racket busted in Shrirampur, Ahilyanagar district.

According to news reports, the accused was arrested on Thursday along with 11 others. He was produced before the court on Monday and subsequently remanded to judicial custody as the investigation into the alleged illegal sex determination network continues.

Also Read:Former IMA Maharashtra chief arrested for alleged PC PNDT violations

Medical Dialogues had previously reported that, in busting an illegal sex determination racket, police have arrested the former president of the Maharashtra chapter of the Indian Medical Association for his alleged involvement in performing illegal abortions and tests. Currently, the accused doctor is in police custody.

According to Additional Superintendent of Police Somnath Waghchoure, who led the operation, stated that the investigation found that after illegal sex determination tests were conducted, some pregnant women allegedly underwent abortions at the doctor’s hospital in Shrirampur.

Following the arrest, the Maharashtra Medical Council has decided to issue a show-cause notice to the accused doctor, seeking an explanation on why disciplinary action should not be taken against him.

The Indian Medical Association (IMA) Maharashtra chapter has also sought a written explanation from him. In a virtual meeting, state office-bearers decided to suspend the doctor from all privileges of IMA membership and forwarded details of the case to the national headquarters in New Delhi.

Several former IMA Maharashtra presidents expressed regret over his alleged involvement, noting that he had earlier led the association during the 2022–23 term.

Past president Dr Santosh Kadam said that the IMA had taken up the campaign to save the girl child much before the government had even embarked on the ‘Beti Bachao Beti Padhao’ movement. He added that all the branches had been at the forefront of the movement and that it was extremely sad to learn about the alleged involvement of the former IMA president in the case.

Speaking to the Indian Express, Ahilyanagar district civil surgeon Dr Sanjay Ghogre, who is also the appropriate authority to implement the Pre-Conception and Pre-natal Diagnostic Techniques (PC-PNDT) Act, said that in addition to the FIR that was lodged by the Ahilyanagar police in the case, the health department will also file a case in the Judicial Magistrate First Class court against an ayurvedic practitioner who was also arrested in the case for allegedly using an ultrasound machine to conduct sex determination tests. Dr Ghogre said Ahilyanagar had 240 registered ultrasound centres.

Dr Bapusaheb Nagargoje, Ahilynagar District Health Officer, said that the 50-bed hospital of the accused doctor on the outskirts of Shrirampur had not renewed its registration. They also noted that the facility was not authorised as a medical termination of pregnancy (MTP) centre, as he is a general surgeon.

Meanwhile, the accused surgeon’s son has stated that the hospital has been shut and declined to comment further on the matter. The investigation remains ongoing.

Top police officials hinted at a large racket behind the episode. The case came to light when, based on a tip-off that sex determination tests were being conducted for Rs 10,000, the police raided the room in Rahata taluka of Ahilyanagar. A woman constable had posed as a customer and gone to the room before the police moved in. During the raid, police found eight pregnant women who had paid for the sex determination tests. The husbands of seven of these women were arrested along with two others – a villager and an agent, reports the Indian Express.

In the past four years, only 31 of 286 sting operations conducted to detect female foeticide in the state have been successful. Recently, officials also foiled a similar attempt in Sambhajinagar. The state government has said it is intensifying enforcement of the Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (PC-PNDT) Act to curb such practices.

Over the past two decades, 627 cases have been filed in JMFC courts under the PC-PNDT Act in Maharashtra. Of these, 129 have resulted in convictions, while 169 cases are still pending, and many others have ended in acquittals.

State authorities are now reviewing pending cases and conducting joint workshops with the Indian Medical Association to strengthen enforcement. Health officials are also considering stricter measures, including the possible use of MCOCA provisions in cases involving organised networks.

Speaking to the Indian Express, Dr Sandeep Sangale, Joint Director of Health, Maharashtra, said the sex ratio at birth in Maharashtra has climbed up from 907 girls per 1,000 boys in 2023 to 912 girls in 2024. The state has 12,750 registered sonography and other centres.

Also Read:Haryana takes action against Health Officials over Illegal Abortions