NE NEWS SERVICE
AHMEDABAD, JAN 19
The Gujarat High Court has refused to allow the termination of pregnancy of a 13-year-old rape victim and directed the state government to pay her family Rs 1 lakh towards food and medical expenses.
Justice BN Karia, in his order, refused termination of pregnancy as sought by her family based on the report of her clinical examination by a medical team, which said the fetus was 26 weeks and four days old, and the baby would have a fair chance of survival if given optimum care.
In vulnerable women, pregnancy up to 24 weeks can be terminated as per the amended Medical Termination of Pregnancy (MTP) Act, 2020, the court said in its order passed on Monday, the detailed copy of which was available on Tuesday.
The HC directed authorities at a medical centre at Rajpipla in Narmada district to take care of the victim’s medical treatment, psychiatric counseling, etc.
It said the victim shall be shifted to the civil hospital in Vadodara 10 days before her due date of delivery.
“The principal secretary of the Department of Health and Welfare, Gujarat shall immediately release a sum of Rs 1 lakh in the account of the father/mother of the victim-girl for food and medical expenses,” the court said.
