Habitual PNDT offenders headache for authorities

Ravinder Saini
Tribune News Service
Jhajjar, January 21

Habitual violators of the Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques Act (PNDT), 1994, are proving a headache for the health authorities with eight such offenders being nabbed more than twice for their role in pre-natal sex determination tests.

One of them, lab attendant Malkiat Singh, has been booked six times by teams of Ambala, Kaithal and Fatehabad authorities in the past three years. Sources said the accused often intimidated decoy clients deposing against them in court. Significantly, there have been no convictions so far.

“Lab attendant Malkiat Singh and his accomplicesmanaged to flee thrice. They were first booked in Shimlapuri (Punjab) on May 14, 2016, when a joint team of Ambala and Ludhiana districts seized an ultrasound machine. Then, a team of Kaithal raided a farmhouse in Sangrur on December 22, 2017. Malkiat Singh fled, abandoning an ultrasound machine and some drugs.

“Thereafter, raids were conducted in Jundli Khurd (Sangrur) on March 13, 2018, Ratia (Fatehabad) on November 4, 2018, Dhuri (Sangrur) on October 10, 2019, and Gulha (Kaithal) on November 15, 2019. Malkiat Singh’s role was established in all these cases.” Also, teams of Bhiwani, Rewari and Narnaul authorities thrice raided private ultrasound centres in Mahendragarh. One Pinki Verma, booked under the Pre-Conception and

Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques Act in Rewari district, was found to be running a racket in Jhajjar too.

Dr Anchal Tripathi, Deputy Civil Surgeon (PNDT), said the offenders, after managing to get bail owing to lack of coordination between the health authorities in different districts or states, often shifted base to another place. Mukesh Bagri, a social activist, said a mechanism to keep an eye on habitual offenders must be evolved.

He also advocated amendment in law for sterner punishment.