HC says no to rape victim’s MTP

Jaswinder Singh Baidwan

Akhran da mureed
Staff member
Just 14, she was left pregnant after being raped by a tenant double her age . To make the matters worse, her father sought termination of her pregnancy, only to be told that she was too late for it.
But for preventing the miscarriage of justice in her case, the Punjab and Haryana High Court has delivered seven commandments, including instructions to Haryana Chief Secretary and the Principal Secretary to reimburse her medical bills.
Her father had told the Bench of Justice Rakesh Kumar Jain that the alleged occurrence was reported to the police before the FIR for rape was registered on August 21 at Sonepat women cell police station.
In his petition, her father added directions were required to be issued to the state authorities for terminating her pregnancy on the ground that she, being a minor girl, was unable to bear the child and it would “enhance her anguish and agony because of the rape”.
Taking up her case, the High Court on September 14 requested the Chandigarh PGIMER Director to get the victim examined by two gynaecologists before submitting a report on possibility of terminating the pregnancy at an advanced stage.
After going through the report, Justice Jain observed the pregnancy could not be terminated and directed the Registrar of Pt. B.D. Sharma University of Health Sciences, Rohtak, to admit the victim as an indoor patient as and when the need arose. Justice Jain added it would be the duty of varsity authorities to provide requisite medicines, food, clothing and other facilities as required by her or her attendants.
The Chief Secretary; the Principal Secretary, Department of Health; and other departments concerned in Haryana were also directed to ensure reimbursement of bills or expenditure incurred on the victim by the varsity forthwith but not later than two weeks.
 
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