Pune sex determination racket: Woman doctor arrested, 3 others absconding
Sixth Accused Held in Pune PCPNDT Case, Three Doctors Still at Large
Pune: A 61-year-old woman doctor has been arrested by Pune Rural Police in connection with an alleged prenatal sex determination racket uncovered in Kedgaon village of Daund taluka, while three other doctors named in the case remain absconding.
According to the news reports, the doctor of Parth Hospital at Kedgaon Station was taken into custody on Wednesday for allegedly violating provisions of the Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (PCPNDT) Act. A court in Daund remanded her to two days of police custody.
Also Read:Second FIR against Pune doctor couple for alleged PCPNDT violations
With the latest arrest, the number of accused in the case has risen to six. Three individuals had previously been arrested, while three other medical practitioners named in the investigation are currently absconding.
The case surfaced in May after videos allegedly showing illegal sonography procedures circulated on social media. Based on a complaint lodged by the Health Department on May 19, Yavat Police registered an FIR under various provisions of the PCPNDT Act and launched an investigation.
According to Dr Santosh Tasgaonkar, Senior Police Inspector at Yavat Police Station, efforts are underway to trace all accused persons linked to the racket.
Investigators suspect the racket may involve a wider network of doctors, agents and healthcare facilities engaged in illegal prenatal sex determination and sex-selective abortions in Pune district. The investigation is being carried out jointly by the Special Investigation Team (SIT), Pune Rural Police and the Economic Offences Wing, reports Hindustan Times.
The arrest comes amid a wider crackdown by the Public Health Department on healthcare facilities allegedly violating the PCPNDT Act and the Medical Termination of Pregnancy (MTP) Act.
During inspections conducted by district-level teams in Daund taluka, authorities reportedly found serious irregularities at a maternity and infertility hospital. Officials alleged violations of the MTP Act, including deficiencies in record maintenance, documentation and medical procedures.
Following the inspection, another FIR was registered against two medical practitioners for allegedly conducting illegal abortion procedures. One of them has been arrested, while the other remains absconding.
Dr Nagnath Yempalle, Pune District Civil Surgeon and District Appropriate Authority under the PCPNDT Act, confirmed that the health department has cancelled both the PCPNDT and MTP licences of Lawangare Hospital. Authorities have also sealed the hospital’s sonography machine.
In a related development, the MTP licence of another hospital in Uruli Kanchan was also cancelled. The operators of the facility were booked under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, and the PCPNDT Act.
Medical Dialogues had previously reported that the Pune Rural Police have registered a second FIR against a gynaecologist and his wife for alleged violations of the Pre-conception and Pre-natal Diagnostic Techniques (PCPNDT) Act at their hospital located in Uruli Kanchan, Maharashtra.
As part of the enforcement drive launched after the racket was exposed, health officials inspected 25 sonography centres, 20 abortion centres and 19 private nursing homes across Daund taluka. “The investigation is continuing, and strict action will be taken against all those found involved in illegal sex determination and related offences,” said Yempalle, reports Hindustan Times.
