Doctor found performing sex determination tests

Ahmedabad, Mar 7 (UNI) A city-based doctor was today allegedly caught by the Gujarat Health Department officials in a sting operation conducted to check sex determination cases and two of his sonography machines were seized.

Briefing reporters here, state health commissioner Amarjit Singh said the sting operation was conducted with the help of a New Delhi-based detective agency.

A nurse from the health department was sent as a decoy customer to the clinic of Dr Harshad G Thakkar to determine the sex of her yet-to-be-born child.

The doctor allegedly took an amount of Rs 4,000 from her as the fee. The doctor allegedly informed the woman that she would give birth to a female child and could opt for abortion at a cost of Rs 10,000.

Mr Singh said a criminal complaint would be filed against the doctor. Last year, a Rajkot-based doctor had been arrested for carrying out sex determination tests.

Mr Singh informed first-time offenders in such cases can face imprisonment upto three years with a fine of Rs 10,000.

The Gujarat Health Department has so far seized 141 sonography machines, while 78 such cases are pending before various courts, including fifteen in the High Court. However, due to lack of proper evidence, there have been no convictions as yet, Mr Singh admitted.

The male to female ratio in Gujarat has shown an unfavourable trend and, to arrest this trend, the state government has launched a ''Beti Bachhao'' campaign. The male to female ratio stood at 1000:844 in 2005 as against 1000:920 in 2001.

UNI