Gurgaon: A pregnant woman and marked currency notes helped the Gurgaon health department crack an interstate sex determination racket operating out of a diagnostic centre in Uttar Pradesh’s Meerut district. An ultrasound was allegedly conducted at the centre to reveal the sex of a fetus in violation of the PCPNDT Act.An FIR was registered against five people, including the radiologist and a middleman. Based on a complaint filed by PCPNDT nodal officer Dr Sudhir Kumar, authorities recommended registration of a case against Nadeem (middleman), Dr Krishna Kabir (radiologist) and Yogesh, Dr M Chandra, Dr Shaila Rehman — all associated with the centre — under relevant provisions of the PCPNDT Act and other applicable laws. The investigation is ongoing to establish the full extent of the network and identify others involved. The ultrasound machine, records and other documents were seized for further investigation.Acting on a tip-off received by civil surgeon Dr Lokveer Singh, Gurgaon officials launched a decoy operation in which the pregnant woman posed as a genuine patient. The operation was carried out jointly by the Gurgaon and Meerut health departments on June 25. Investigations revealed that Nadeem was charging pregnant women between Rs 15,000 and Rs 20,000 at Care Diagnostic Centre in Sardhana to disclose the sex of the fetus. Officials alleged that if the fetus was female, arrangements were also made for an illegal abortion.According to the raiding team, the decoy patient paid Rs 15,000 and underwent an ultrasound examination, after which she was informed that she was carrying a male fetus. Immediately thereafter, the joint team raided the diagnostic centre and apprehended Nadeem and Kabir. Officials recovered Rs 14,500 from the spot.The investigation found that the ultrasound machine and the doctor conducting the examination were not registered under the PCPNDT Act. Officials also discovered that the health department had already been informed that the diagnostic centre had been shut down. Officials alleged that attempts were made to obstruct govt officials from discharging their duties during the operation.During the raid, officials recovered the marked cash and found that the ultrasound was performed without the mandatory Form F. “The radiologist operating the ultrasound machine was also found to be unapproved under the PCPNDT Act,” an official from the team said.The case once again underlines Haryana’s continuing battle against female feticide and illegal prenatal sex determination. While the state’s sex ratio at birth has improved from 834 girls per 1,000 boys in 2011 to around 910 in recent years, enforcement agencies continue to uncover organised rackets involving touts, transporters and medical practitioners operating across district and state boundaries.
