Doctor gets 2-year RI for conducting sex-determination test

A court in Islampur town in Sangli district on Saturday ordered two- year rigorous imprisonment to gynaecologist Mohan Farne for carrying out sonography of a pregnant woman for conducting the sex-determination test.

This is the second consecutive judgment of the Islampur court convicting a doctor for conducting the sex-determination test. In both the cases, social activists Varsha Deshpande had carried out a sting operation.

On Friday, the first class judicial magistrate IK Suryavanshi pronounced two-year rigorous imprisonment and a fine of Rs34,000 to BAMS doctor Sampada Shinde, and one year rigorous imprisonment and Rs5,000 fine to her agents Prakash Deokule and Ankush Bobade.

Shinde runs a hospital in Takari in Walva taluka. Deshpande sent a decoy pregnant woman in August 2007 to the hospital and conducted a sting operation.

The first class judicial magistrate AC Doifode convicted Farne — a MBBS DGO who runs Anusaya Maternity and Surgical Hospital in Islampur.

The case against Farne was filed on September 14, 2010 after Deshpande carried out a sting operation on September 3, 2010.

Deshpande had sent four months pregnant woman, Prerna Bhilare, as a decoy for carrying out the sex-determination test at his hospital.

Farne had not filled the F form while conducting the sonography of the woman. He had charged Rs4,100 from the decoy and had disclosed the sex of the foetus as a boy.

The conversation between the decoy and Farne was recorded on the cellphone.

Later, the then sub-divisional officer, Snehal Barge, conducted an inquiry into the complaint filed by the decoy and found out about the tests being carried out in Farne’s hospital. Both the judgements have been announced as per the provisions of Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques Act, 2003.