Supreme Court of India Passes Verdict to Terminate the Fetus of Minor Rape Victim

A medical team has given permission for thetermination of a minor rape victim. Though the law allows abortion only until the 20^th week, the Supreme court of India has passed this verdict. A 14-year-old was allegedly sedated and raped by a doctor on February, 2015 during her visit to the clinic for treatment of typhoid.

"A panel of five doctors — four from civil hospital and a private practitioner — has given the nod for abortion," said, superintendent of the civil hospital M M Prabhakar.

The Supreme Court had come to the rescue of the 14-year-old victim who had been denied permission to abort the fetus by the sessions as well as the high court. The apex court said she can undergo abortion if medical experts allow it.

The abortion is likely to be performed on Friday, said Prabhakar. The Supreme Court bench of Justices A R Dave and Kurian Joseph had said it would ask the civil hospital here to get the girl examined by gynecologists and a clinical psychologist.

Earlier Gujarat high court's Justice Abhilasha Kumari had refused permission for abortion on July 24 on the ground that the law does not allow it after 20 weeks of pregnancy. The girl's father had first moved the sessions court seeking termination of pregnancy, saying she was in no position to take care of the child.

The apex court had also directed that in case of abortion, a DNA test of the fetus should be carried out which can help in the trial of the accused doctor.

Source-Medindia