Delhi Doctor Charged With Conducting Pre-Birth Gender Tests

A doctor and an ASHA worker allegedly involved in conducting illegal pre-natal gender tests of pregnant women in the national capital were busted in a joint raid by the health department of Gurugram and Delhi, an official said.

The team caught four accused and handed them over to Delhi Police, Gurugram civil surgeon Dr Virender Yadav said.

Police have registered a case under various sections, including the Pre-conception and Pre-natal Diagnostic Techniques (Prohibition of Sex Selection) (PNDT) Act, and started investigation into it. The act bans prenatal sex determination.

The official said the Delhi health department team sealed the items recovered from the spot, which includes an ultrasound machine.

Mr Yadav said he had information that ASHA worker Anita is involved in getting pre-natal gender tests done on pregnant women with the help of Dr Neelam Walia at Walia Maternity Centre in Sarita Vihar, Delhi. Anita charged Rs 40,000-Rs 50,000 for the job, the official said.

Based on the information, a team that included Dr Pradeep, Dr Harsh, Dr Ravi and assistant Subhash Sharma was formed, he said. A pregnant woman was asked to be a fake customer and introduced to Anita, who asked for Rs 40,000 for the gender test, Mr Yadav said.

"It was on Monday when ASHA worker Anita reached Walia Maternity Centre in Sarita Vihar, Delhi with the woman who was a fake customer. At the centre, the woman got an ultrasound done without any document. Gurugram health department team reached there and conducted a raid," he said.

"Anita, Dr Neelam Walia, her husband Dushyant Walia and their son Rawal Walia were caught and handed over to Delhi Police. During the raid, Rs 10,000 were recovered from the possession of Neelam Walia and Rs 10,000 from Anita," Mr Yadav said. 

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