India News | HC Allows Mentally Challenged Rape Victim to Terminate Pregnancy

Nagpur, Feb 12 (PTI) The Nagpur bench of the Bombay High Court on Friday permitted medical termination of a mentally challenged rape victim's 23-week pregnancy.

A division bench of Justices Sunil Shukre and Avinash Gharote, after perusing a medical committee's report, opined that the pregnancy should be terminated considering the circumstances of the case.

Provisions of the Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act permit one to terminate pregnancy with the consent of one or more doctors within 20 weeks of conception.

One can terminate a pregnancy beyond 20 weeks only if the courts conclude that the pregnancy poses a threat to the life or health of the mother or the child.

The 25-year-old victim's father, a daily-wage labourer, approached the High Court after learning about his daughter's pregnancy and alleged rape from Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHA) workers.

A criminal case was lodged against the accused and probe is on.

The court has also directed that the DNA of the foetus be preserved in a sealed condition for the purpose of investigation if required for a period of one year from the date of the order.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)