RAJKOT: A doctor in Dhrangadhra town of Surendranagar district was caught red-handed while carrying out sex determination test on Sunday.
The district health department team with the help of local police caught Dr Pragnesh Khedawala, who runs Jena Maternity and Nursing Home, in the town. Sources said that the police sent a pregnant woman as a decoy to trap him. After initial discussions, Dr Khedawala told the woman and her relatives that he would charge Rs 22,000 to tell the sex of the foetus. As per the plan, she agreed.
Just as he started doing the sonography, the heath department teams and police entered and caught him red-handed. His sonography machine was also sealed.
Officials said they had been planning to trap Dr Khedawala for the past three months after getting information that he was carrying out illegal sex determination in his clinic. However, the previous attempts had failed for some reasons.
Dr Khedawala was arrested and booked under sections of Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (PCPNDT) Act.
"PCPNDT Act does not provide for arrest of the doctor. But we involved section 315 of IPC (Act done with intent to prevent child being born alive or to cause it to die after birth) to send him to jail before he can obtain bail from the court," said a senior district official.
Dr Khedawala has been a controversial figure in the local doctors fraternity. Last year, he was booked for negligence after he disposed off a newborn boy in a polythene bag by declaring him stillborn. His negligence had angered the family of the baby after it was rescued alive.
Khedala, 52, has been practicing in the town for the last two decades.
The district health department team with the help of local police caught Dr Pragnesh Khedawala, who runs Jena Maternity and Nursing Home, in the town. Sources said that the police sent a pregnant woman as a decoy to trap him. After initial discussions, Dr Khedawala told the woman and her relatives that he would charge Rs 22,000 to tell the sex of the foetus. As per the plan, she agreed.
Just as he started doing the sonography, the heath department teams and police entered and caught him red-handed. His sonography machine was also sealed.
Officials said they had been planning to trap Dr Khedawala for the past three months after getting information that he was carrying out illegal sex determination in his clinic. However, the previous attempts had failed for some reasons.
Dr Khedawala was arrested and booked under sections of Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (PCPNDT) Act.
"PCPNDT Act does not provide for arrest of the doctor. But we involved section 315 of IPC (Act done with intent to prevent child being born alive or to cause it to die after birth) to send him to jail before he can obtain bail from the court," said a senior district official.
Dr Khedawala has been a controversial figure in the local doctors fraternity. Last year, he was booked for negligence after he disposed off a newborn boy in a polythene bag by declaring him stillborn. His negligence had angered the family of the baby after it was rescued alive.
Khedala, 52, has been practicing in the town for the last two decades.
Trending Topics
LATEST VIDEOS
More from TOI
Navbharat Times
Featured Today in Travel
Get the app