The Bombay High Court today permitted a 17-year-old pregnant girl, refused medical assistance by some hospitals, to seek treatment at the state-run JJ Hospital in Mumbai.
The girl, in her petition filed through her mother in the high court, said hospitals refused her treatment as she did not want to file a police complaint against a boy with whom she was in a relationship.
The relationship between the girl and boy, who is also aged 17, was consensual, the petition said.
The plea said refusal of medical treatment was violative of the girl's fundamental rights enshrined in the Constitution of India.
Government pleader Purnima Kantharia submitted to a division bench of Justices GS Kulkarni and Firdosh Pooniwalla that the girl could seek treatment at the JJ Hospital in Mumbai.
The girl would, however, have to submit a emergency police report stating that she does not wish to pursue a criminal complaint against the boy, Mr Kantharia said.
The petitioner's advocate informed the court that the girl did not want to abort the child and once the baby is born, he or she would be put up for adoption.
The plea said a shelter home in suburban Andheri has agreed to admit her before and after her delivery for assistance and care.
The bench in its order said the girl shall submit her statement in the form of an emergency police report through her advocate by Friday.
"There is no harm in submitting a statement to the police," the high court said.
"The girl shall be entitled to seek medical treatment at the JJ Hospital. The dean of the hospital shall take all care to maintain confidentiality of the case and the treatment provided," the court said.
The shelter home identified by the petitioner shall permit the girl to be admitted for care and assistance, it said.
"All these shall be provided without any insistance of a police complaint. This is a fair order," the bench said and disposed of the petition.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
Featured Video Of The Day
NDA 200 And Counting, Set To Thump MVA, Record Landslide Win In Maharashtra
High Court Grants Bail To Consultant In Shivaji Statue Collapse Case Non-Consensual Intercourse With Minor Wife Is Rape: Bombay High Court Bombay High Court Grants Medical Bail To Jet Airways' Founder Naresh Goyal In Money Laundering Case Election Results 2024 LIVE Updates: Maharashtra Battle To Decide Real NCP, Sena Election Results LIVE: Mahayuti Wins 5 Seats In Maharashtra, Leading In 225 Jharkhand Election Results: After Trailing Initially, INDIA Makes A Comeback Trinamool Sweeps Bengal Bypolls, Wrests Seat From BJP After 10 Years Eknath Shinde Asked Maharashtra Chief Minister Question. His Cautious Reply Manipur Classical Dance Legend Rajkumar Singhajit Singh Dies at 92 Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world.