Rohtak team raids diagnostic centre in Delhi; doctor, tout held for prenatal sex detection

A state Health Department team from Rohtak district raided a diagnostic centre in Delhi and nabbed a radiologist and a tout on the charge of determining foetal sex on Thursday. The ultrasound equipment used for the purpose has been sealed.

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Rohtak Deputy Commissioner Dhirendra Khadgata said the local health authorities were directed to conduct a raid on Arogya Diagnostic and Dental Centre located at Dwarka in New Delhi as the Health Department had received specific information that illegal sex-determination was being carried out at the centre.

“Following the directions of the Deputy Commissioner, a decoy customer was prepared by the Health Department. A deal was struck to determine the gender of her foetus for Rs 50,000 through a tout. The tout asked the pregnant woman to visit the said diagnostic centre in New Delhi. A team of the PC-PNDT cell led by Nodal Officer Dr Vishvjeet Rathee and Medical Officer Dr Mohit Gill accompanied the woman. Dr Vineet Madan, a radiologist, and Shailender Mathur, a tout, were nabbed during the raid,” said the Civil Surgeon.

Dr Vishvjeet Rathee said that marked currency notes of Rs 50,000 were handed over to the decoy customer, who gave those to a tout.

“After conducting the ultrasound examination, the radiologist informed the pregnant woman that she was carrying twin foetuses, both of which were female. Subsequently, a raid was conducted, and the radiologist and a tout were nabbed,” he added.

An amount of Rs 25,500 in cash was recovered from the doctor and the tout. However, another tout named Vikas Gupta managed to escape.

Additional Senior Medical Officer (ASMO) Dr Vishal Chaudhary tried to stop Gupta, but the tout pushed him aside and fled the scene. Dr Chaudhary was injured in the scuffle.

The process of getting an FIR registered was going on at the time of filing this report.

Meanwhile, the Deputy Commissioner stated that all-out efforts were being made to improve the sex ratio in the district.

“Action under the PC-PNDT Act and raids on diagnostic centres carrying out illegal determination of foetal gender would continue,” he said.