A 14-year-old rape survivor, who is also a cancer patient approached the Bombay High Court appealing to let her terminate the 24-week-old foetus. The girl was raped earlier this and had even filed the complaint but her pregnancy was detected only recently when she went to a local hospital for her chemotherapy session.
Considering the complexity of case and severe possible health hazards, a bench of Justices A S Oka and M S Sonak has now directed the dean of the J J hospital in the city to “immediately” constitute a panel of expert doctors, including a psychiatrist, to assess the girls’ health condition and to suggest whether a medical termination of the pregnancy at such a late stage can be permitted.
The case was noticed when the victim’s father (a daily wage labourer) and her mother (works as a domestic help) learnt about her pregnancy and decided to approach an NGO. With the NGO’s assistance, the family was in touch with lawyers and helped file the plea.
