Sex determination: Pune doctors face criminal charges

The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has filed criminal complaints against two city-based doctors, for allegedly carrying out illegal sex determination tests. Makarand Ranade of Sadashiv Peth and Nina Mathrani of Laxmi Road were caught by the civic officials allegedly conducting the test on Tuesday.

The sting operation was carried out by a social organisation, Janwadi Mahila Sangathan, in association with government authorities. Assistant medical officer of health of PMC, Dr Vaishali Jadhav, has already sealed the sonography machine allegedly used at Mathrani’s clinic. Ranade is a gynaecologist, while Mathrani is a consultant radiologist and sonologist.

The criminal complaint was filed by advocate Milind Salunkhe, the legal advisor of the PMC’s health department.

“Two cases were filed. The first case has doctors Ranade and Mathrani as accused, while in another case, Dr Mathrani has been named as the accused,’’ said Salunkhe.

The first case has accused the medicos for allegedly disclosing the sex of the unborn foetus, conducting an illegal sonography, non-maintenance of proper records and other charges. The first case cities violation of 19 different sections of the Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (Prohibition of Sex Selection Act) Act, 1994 (PCPNDT Act).

In the second case, Mathrani has been booked for alleged non-maintenance of proper records. Salunkhe had argued for 45 minutes before the joint civil judge, KP Jain Desarda.

“This is the first time in Maharashtra that doctors have been booked under so many sections of the PCPNDT Act,’’ he said.

The judge ordered that summons be issued and fixed July 13 as the date for the accused to present their say before the court. If convicted, the doctors could face rigorous imprisonment for three years and a fine of Rs10,000 each, said Salunkhe.