Supreme Court allows two minor rape victims to abort their foetus
Bengaluru, September 22: Supreme Court gave a nod to two minor rape victims from Delhi and Bengaluru to abort their foetus. Taking the medical reports into consideration the bench observed that termination of pregnancy in these two cases was permissible.
Though Section 3(2)(b) of the Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act (MTP) prohibits abortion of the foetus after 20 weeks of pregnancy, Supreme Court allowed these two rape minor victims to abort their foetus while observing the opinions given by medical boards like AIIMS and Banglore Medical College and Research Institute.
The Bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra, directed preservation of terminated foetus for further DNA sampling which may help in reaching to rapists. The preservation was ordered for the purpose of investigation that would help nail the culprits who committed the gruesome crime of rape and impregnation of a minor.
After perusing the medical reports of AIIMS and Banglore Medical College and Research Institute the Bench observed that there was a risk in aborting the foetus of 13-year old girl who is in her 23rd week of pregnancy. Similarly, the medical board also opined that 24 weeks old foetus of 17-year-old girl can also be aborted. Also, the bench said that the expenses of the process would be borne by states.